On Saturday, April 26th, for the second consecutive day, there was exchange of fire between the armies of India and Pakistan. Tensions escalated abruptly between the two countries following an attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region earlier in the week.
Pakistan armed militants opened fire on tourists in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region on Tuesday, resulting in the death of 26 people. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promptly condemned the horrifying shooting, labeling it as a terrorist attack.
The Indian government accused neighboring country Pakistan of being responsible for the attack, but did not provide any evidence. Pakistan, on the other hand, denied any involvement in the attack.
The Pakistani Defense Minister stated that an international investigation is needed into the attack.
Indian military reported that on Friday night, Pakistani forces initiated unprovoked light weapon firing at multiple outposts along the 740-kilometer Line of Control between India and Pakistan, prompting retaliatory action from the Indian military.
Similarly, on Thursday night, sporadic firing was carried out by Pakistani forces towards Indian troops. India has yet to release casualty reports.
The Kashmir police in Indian-controlled Kashmir have identified three suspects in the tourist attack on Tuesday, including two Pakistani citizens.
Following the attack on Tuesday, the armed group “Kashmir Resistance Front” claimed responsibility for the incident.
This incident marks one of the most severe attacks on civilians to occur in recent years in the disputed Kashmir region.
Both India and Pakistan claim sovereignty over Kashmir. Despite a ceasefire agreement spanning several decades between the two nations, military clashes have recurrently erupted in the region.
Following the attack, India and Pakistan have implemented a series of diplomatic measures.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs initially announced a requirement for all Pakistani nationals to leave India within a few days, leading both countries to mutually cancel visa privileges for each other’s citizens. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated to the media on Wednesday evening that India would suspend a crucial water treaty between the two countries until Pakistan could unequivocally and permanently halt support for cross-border terrorism.
The “Indus Water Treaty,” overseen by the World Bank in 1960, allows for the shared utilization of water resources in the Indus River basin by both countries, serving as a model of cooperation between India and Pakistan over the years. The treaty permits both countries to share the water resources of the Indus River and its tributaries, crucial for agriculture in Pakistan. Consequently, Pakistan has labeled India’s suspension of the treaty as an act of “water warfare.”
Currently, India has closed major land borders between the two countries, while Pakistan has suspended trade with India and closed its airspace, prohibiting all Indian-owned or operated airlines from using it.
(This article was referenced from Reuters)