Escalating Tensions: India and Pakistan's Response to Pahalgam Terror Attack

Overview of the Pahalgam Terror Attack

On April 22, a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, was identified by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri as the initial trigger for the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

India's Response to the Attack

During a press conference, Misri stated that India's reaction was measured, targeting only non-civilian and non-military sites, specifically terrorist camps.

He emphasized that any further actions from Pakistan, which are currently being observed, represent an escalation that will be met with appropriate responses.

Military Developments

The foreign ministry's briefing followed a statement from the defense ministry, which reported that Indian forces thwarted attempts by Pakistan to strike Indian military installations using drones and missiles across 15 locations on Wednesday night.

This incident occurred after the Indian military executed strikes on what it described as terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack. This operation, named Operation Sindoor, targeted nine sites.

Pakistan's Retaliation

In response, the Pakistan Army conducted shelling along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of sixteen individuals, as reported by the Ministry of Defence.

On Thursday, the Pakistani Army claimed to have downed 25 Indian drones that had entered its airspace since the previous night, with reports indicating that these drones targeted cities like Karachi and Lahore.

According to Pakistani sources, one civilian was killed and four soldiers sustained injuries due to the drone strikes.

Casualties and Claims

Reports indicate that at least 26 individuals lost their lives in Pakistan as a result of India's military strikes on Wednesday. Islamabad has asserted that these operations resulted in civilian casualties and labeled them a breach of its sovereignty.

In contrast, Misri asserted that those killed in the strikes were terrorists, presenting a photograph of a funeral for one of the deceased and questioning the state honors given, including the draping of the coffin with the Pakistani flag.

He remarked, “It doesn’t seem to make much sense to us” regarding the practice of giving state funerals to terrorists in Pakistan.