The crisis intensifies between India and Pakistan. After the attack on April 22, which cost the life of at least 26 civilians in the Indian region of cashmere (the deadliest attack in this Muslim majority area for more than two decades), the tensions between the two nuclear powers are more lively than ever.
This Tuesday, April 29, according to BFMTV, the Pakistani Minister of Information, Attaullah Tarar, even said that his country has “Credible information” indicating that India is preparing to carry out a military operation in the “24 to 36 hours”.
“Any act of aggression will lead to a decisive response”, warned Attaullah Tarar, adding that “India will have to take full responsibility for any serious consequence in the region”. After the attack, India had quickly accused Pakistan of being responsible, despite the lack of official demand from Islamabad, who categorically rejected these accusations and called for the establishment of a “neutral” investigation.
Mutual sanctions
In this electrical context, the two countries inflicted diplomatic sanctions and ordered the departure of their respective nationals. Field exchanges have also taken place in recent days along the control line (LOC) – the de facto border which divides cashmere – without however making victims according to the Indian authorities.
In any case, India seems to prepare for a possible military response against Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers that the Indian armed forces now have the “Operational freedom” To choose how and when to retaliate at the attack on April 22. During a recent meeting, he would have left all latitude to his chiefs of staff to decide on the targets, methods and calendar of a possible operation.
The Cashmere region, claimed by the two countries since their independence in 1947, remains a nerveless point of Indo-Pakistani relations. Since 1989, the conflict between separatist insurgents and Indian army has already made tens of thousands of deaths there.
