Pakistan fears India will launch military response to Pahalgam attack 'in next 24-36 hours'

Pakistan claimed on Wednesday that it has “credible intelligence” suggesting India is planning military action within the next 24–36 hours in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which was carried out by terrorists backed by the military and intelligence leadership in Islamabad. It also warned of consequences for such an action.

In a post on X, Pakistan’s Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, said that the Indian government is preparing military action based on “baseless and fabricated allegations” regarding Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack.

“Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours using the Pahalgam incident as a false pretext,” Tarar said.

PM Modi holds key meet, gives forces full operational freedom

The statement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting on Tuesday with top defence officials, where he gave the armed forces “complete operational freedom” to decide how and when to respond to the Pahalgam terror attack, news agency PTI reported, citing government sources.

Tensions have escalated between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack last week, which killed 26 innocent people at the hands of Pakistan-based terrorists.

Earlier, PM Modi had vowed that India would “identify, track, and punish” the terrorists and their “backers”, and pursue the killers to the “ends of the earth”, as India ramped up its diplomatic offensive against Pakistan.

He said that Islamabad had offered a “credible, transparent, and independent” investigation by a neutral commission of experts, accusing India of evading such an investigation and choosing a confrontational approach instead.

Pakistan urged the international community to remain alert, warning that any military action by India would be “responded to assuredly and decisively”, and that the “onus of any escalation and its consequences would squarely lie with India”.

According to the statement, Tarar also said that Pakistan had itself been a victim of terrorism and had consistently condemned it in all its forms. However, his statement appears paradoxical, as Pakistan has a long history of backing and training terrorists and terror organisations responsible for killing innocent people.

‘We have been doing this dirty work…’: Pak minister

In a recent interview with Sky News, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that the country has a history of supporting terrorist groups.

When asked about Pakistan’s links to such organisations, he said, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States and the West, including Britain, for about three decades.”

Earlier, India had announced several measures against Pakistan, including the expulsion of Pakistani military attachés, the suspension of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, the revocation of all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from 27 April, and the immediate closure of the Attari land transit post.

Firing continues at LoC for 6th day, India gives ‘proportionate’ response

Earlier, the Indian Army gave a ‘proportionate’ response after the Pakistan Army opened unprovoked small arms fire at several locations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, marking the sixth consecutive day of cross-border firing. The flare-up followed the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 innocent people were killed by Pakistan-based terrorists.

The firing took place in the Naushera and Sunderbani sectors of Rajouri, the Akhnoor and Pargwal sectors in Jammu, and parts of Baramulla and Kupwara. Officials said Indian troops responded swiftly and in a measured manner.

With inputs from PTI.