Ahlulbayt News Agency: Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated on Friday as the nuclear-armed neighbors engaged in border clashes, exchanging gunfire and accusations, sparking fears of a wider military conflict.
The hostilities intensified when New Delhi announced that it had repelled fresh drone and artillery attacks from Islamabad overnight. Pakistan denied launching the attacks but maintained that it would not de-escalate, blaming India for pushing both nations toward a major confrontation.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Shafqat Ali Khan, condemned India’s actions, stating that New Delhi’s recklessness had brought the two nuclear-armed states dangerously close to conflict. He also criticized India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Water Treaty following recent clashes, calling it illegal.
The spokesman urged the international community to intervene, warning that India’s behavior was destabilizing South Asia. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military spokesman, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, accused India of provoking the rising tensions. He asserted that Pakistan had so far acted defensively but warned that India would soon face repercussions.
The Indian military responded by claiming that Pakistan had used hundreds of Turkish-made drones in an attack on May 8. The Indian army also reported repelling waves of Pakistani assaults overnight, declaring that it had delivered a firm response.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri dismissed Pakistan’s denial of involvement as "farcical," accusing Islamabad of spreading misinformation.
The latest round of conflict has resulted in over four dozen casualties within three days of missile, artillery, and drone attacks since Wednesday.
The situation has also led to widespread panic among civilians. Residents across Pakistan and India scrambled to stockpile food and essential supplies. In Lahore, near the border, residents were alarmed after drones—allegedly launched by India—were shot down over the city.
Across the border, India’s Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution minister urged citizens to avoid panic buying, reassuring them that food stocks remained sufficient.
In Amritsar, Punjab, Indian residents expressed concern over market closures, with many rushing to secure supplies. In border regions, civilians were also relying on relatives for essential goods as prices surged.
In Kashmir, near the Line of Control, residents faced direct threats from shelling. In Indian-controlled Kashmir’s Uri district, many fled their homes overnight, some seeking refuge behind rocks or in bunkers.
Schools on both sides of the border in Kashmir and Punjab were shut down, impacting millions of children. India also suspended operations at 24 airports, though local media suggested the restrictions on civilian flights might be lifted by Saturday morning.
The conflict has severely disrupted international air travel, with airlines canceling flights or rerouting them to avoid the India-Pakistan frontier.
The tensions escalated after India struck multiple sites in Pakistan on Wednesday, claiming they were terrorist camps, in retaliation for a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.
This confrontation is one of the most severe in decades between the two countries, which have fought multiple wars over Muslim-majority Kashmir—a region that remains divided between them.
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