Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated dramatically following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. India has indirectly implicated Pakistan by linking the attack to The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the most hated Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, though Islamabad denies involvement.

In response, both nations have implemented retaliatory measures: India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, sealed the Wagah-Attari border, and revoked visas for Pakistani citizens, while Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian flights, halted trade, and expelled Indian defence advisers.

The situation worsened on April 29-30, as Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian quadcopter drones along the Line of Control (LoC). The first was intercepted in the Manawar sector of Bhimber district, and the second, identified as a Phantom-4 model, was downed in the Satwal sector during alleged surveillance operations.

Pakistan’s military emphasised its “defensive vigilance,” while India accused Pakistan of unprovoked ceasefire violations, marking the fifth consecutive day of cross-border small arms fire in Kupwara, Poonch, and Akhnoor sectors. No casualties were reported from these exchanges.

Pakistan is trying desperately to win the perception war by propagating fakery and laughable propaganda.

Military posturing has intensified, with Pakistan upgrading airports like Skardu to host JF-17 fighter jets armed with Chinese PL-15 missiles, and India deploying the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier to the Arabian Sea while testing anti-ship missiles.

Both sides have issued stark warnings-Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif threatened to use “resolute force” and referenced nuclear readiness, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to “pursue terrorists to their last hideout”.

Diplomatic tensions further flared as India threatened to exit the 1972 Simla Agreement, a move experts warn could collapse existing bilateral frameworks.

Media narratives in both countries have amplified hostilities, with Pakistani outlets trending #IndianFalseFlagExposedAgain and Indian platforms demanding retribution for Pahalgam. Despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s stated “commitment to peace,” the LoC remains a volatile flashpoint, with both militaries on high alert and regional stability hanging in the balance.

TOI