Tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following deadly attack in disputed Kashmir

SRINAGAR – Tensions betwixt arch rivals India and Pakistan were precocious connected Thursday arsenic New Delhi mounted a diplomatic offensive against Islamabad, blaming it for a deadly attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, successful disputed Kashmir.

India accused Islamabad of supporting “cross-border terrorism” Wednesday nighttime and imposed diplomatic measures, including downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending of a cardinal water-sharing pact and closing the main onshore borderline crossing with Pakistan.

Pakistan has denied the accusation and a antecedently chartless militant radical calling itself Kashmir Resistance has claimed work for the attack. Islamabad said it would respond to India’s actions connected Thursday and convene its National Security Committee, which is composed of elder civilian and subject officials.

“India has taken irresponsible steps and leveled allegations,” Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told section Dunya News TV channel. Dar said India’s steps had truthful acold been “non-kinetic,” and added that “any kinetic measurement by India volition spot a tit-to-tat kinetic response” from Pakistan.

Diplomatic ties betwixt the 2 countries were already weak, peculiarly aft New Delhi aft India revoked Kashmir's semiautonomous status successful 2019.

India and Pakistan each administer a portion of Kashmir, but some assertion the territory successful its entirety. The 2 sides person agelong accused each different of backing forces to destabilize 1 another, and New Delhi describes each militancy successful Kashmir arsenic Pakistan-backed terrorism. Pakistan denies this, and galore Muslim Kashmiris see the militants to beryllium portion of a home-grown state struggle.

India said a fig of Pakistani diplomats were asked to permission New Delhi and Indian diplomats were recalled from Pakistan. Diplomatic missions successful some countries volition trim their unit from 55 to 30 arsenic of May 1, India’s overseas secretary, Vikram Misri, announced Wednesday night.

Misri besides said the lone functional onshore borderline crossing betwixt the countries would beryllium closed, adding that India was besides suspending a landmark water-sharing treaty.

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank successful 1960, allows for sharing the waters of a stream strategy that is simply a lifeline for some countries, peculiarly for Pakistan’s agriculture. The pact has survived 2 wars betwixt the countries, successful 1965 and 1971, and a large borderline skirmish successful 1999.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an all-party gathering with absorption parties to little them connected the government’s effect to the attack.

Some fearfulness New Delhi whitethorn India whitethorn determination beyond diplomatic sanctions arsenic the country's media and leaders from Modi’s Hindu nationalist ruling enactment telephone for subject action.

Praveen Donthi, elder expert with the International Crisis Group, said framing the Kashmir struggle arsenic a information situation of Pakistan’s creation, “which tin beryllium resolved lone done harsh speech and actions,” brings governmental dividends to Modi’s authorities but could besides permission it with fewer options successful times of crises.

“The immense nationalist unit connected the Modi authorities to retaliate powerfully and militarily is self-created,” said Donthi. ”Soon, determination volition beryllium nary options near unless New Delhi starts looking to code the roots of governmental unrest successful Kashmir,” Donthi said.

In 2019, erstwhile insurgents rammed a car packed with explosives into a paramilitary convoy, sidesplitting 40 soldiers, India claimed to onslaught a militant grooming campy wrong Pakistan. Pakistan responded with aerial raids, downed an Indian subject craft and captured an Indian aviator who was aboriginal released.

Two years later, successful 2021, the 2 countries renewed a erstwhile ceasefire statement on their border, which has mostly held since contempt attacks connected Indian forces by insurgents successful Kashmir.

The onslaught shocked residents of Kashmir, wherever militants warring against Indian regularisation person seldom targeted tourists and person chiefly mounted their attacks against Indian forces.

In Kashmir, locals unopen down markets, businesses and schools connected Wednesday successful protestation amidst worries that the onslaught would wounded the region’s tourism economy.

Funerals of respective of those killed were besides held crossed immoderate Indian cities and radical participated successful candle-lit vigils astatine immoderate places, including successful Srinagar, the main metropolis successful Kashmir.

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