Pahalgam Attack Fallout: Pakistan Warns of Imminent Indian Strike as Diplomatic War Erupts

Pakistan says Indian military incursion is imminent after Kashmir attack

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Muhammad Asif on Monday warned that a military incursion by India was ‘imminent’ following the deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam last week. This heinous attack heightened fears of a fresh confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighboring nations.

According to an interview by Reuters, Asif declared Pakistan’s military had made ‘strategic decisions’ and was standing on its guard. “We have augmented our forces because it is impending now,” he replied, not releasing concrete intelligence but suggesting that the military had alerted the civilian hierarchy to potential Indian aggression.

India Points Finger at Pakistan, Islamabad Denies Charges

The April 22 attack on vacationers killed 26 people, and it was among the deadliest of such attacks targeting civilians in many years. ISI-sponsored terrorists killed the victims and are accused of doing so, the Indian authorities have said. However, Islamabad denied its role in the attack in Baisaran valley and called for an objective inquiry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to ‘pursue and punish’ the attackers, a sign of hardening the government’s line. New Delhi, in retaliation, has initiated a series of diplomatic and strategic moves to isolate Pakistan.

Diplomatic Fallout: Treaties Suspended, Border Closed

Relations have become increasingly tense since the attack. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a critical water-sharing agreement, expelled Pakistani diplomats, revoked visas for Pakistani nationals, and closed the main land border crossing.

Terming India’s decision to limit water an ‘act of war,’ Asif said Islamabad had already approached international guarantors, including the World Bank. “We have already approached relevant quarters as far as this treaty goes,” he added.

As a retaliation, India’s diplomats were expelled, visas for Indian citizens were revoked, and Indian flights were prohibited from passing through its territory.

Pakistan Warns Against Nuclear Escalation

Amid the rising diplomatic and military pressure, Asif reaffirmed that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal would only be employed in the case of a direct threat to existence. “This is a dire situation,” he emphasized, reiterating the call for prudence and international intervention.

India Bans Pakistani-Based YouTube Channels

In another action, India blocked 16 Pakistan-based YouTube channels, including large news channels and individual reporters, on Monday, for reportedly disseminating inflammatory and communally sensitive disinformation. The action, taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ recommendation, is part of India’s attempt to check disinformation following the Kashmir attack.

Global Powers Urge Restraint

Pakistan has appealed to its major international partners, including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and several Gulf states, to help diffuse the crisis. Asif has confirmed that certain Gulf states had brought both New Delhi and Islamabad to the negotiating table. On its part, China called on both sides to exercise restraint and explore diplomatic channels.

The standoff represents one of the most severe escalations in India-Pakistan relations in recent years, with concerns rising that further provocation could escalate into outright conflict.