Pahalgam attack news: ‘Chances of conflict with India rising,’ warns Pak’s defence minister

Pahalgam attack news: Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said chances of conflict with India are growing over time, despite international efforts to ease tensions.

Pahalgam attack news: In the aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Baisaran near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, tensions between India and Pakistan continued to be on the rise. Islamabad on Wednesday cited "credible evidence" to claim that India was planning to carry out military action against it within the next 24 to 36 hours, warning New Delhi of "catastrophic consequences".

The claim made by Pakistan's information minister Attatullah Tarar came just hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a key security meeting at this residence and granted armed forces “complete operational freedom” to determine the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

The terror attack in Pahalgam, which took place on April 22, left behind a massive scar of trauma and anguish in the hearts of the victims and the entire nation. The incident is being probed by the National Investigation Agency, with officials interrogating operators, vendors, photographers, and all those employed in the adventure spots at the scene of the attack.

The federal agency also interrogated the zipline operator in Baisaran, whose video of chanting "Allahu Akbar" before the attack had gone viral on social media.

Pahalgam terror attack | Key points

• PM Modi chaired key security meeting with India's top defence officials, including defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the heads of the three armed services, on Tuesday. While allowing complete freedom to the armed forces, he expressed full trust and confidence in their professionalism.
• PM Modi also reportedly met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday, wherein Amit Shah was also believed to be present. News agency PTI reported, citing sources, that the meeting was in connection with the Pahalgam attack.
• Meanwhile, as NIA digs deep into the Pahalgam terror attack, intelligence agencies have some information that some of the attackers and a local operative are still hiding somewhere in the mountains of the Pir Panjal range.
• Pakistan's information minister, while claiming that India intends to carry out military action against it, said that Islamabad has itself been a victim of terrorism and condemned it in all forms of self-violence.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also spoke separately with external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif. According to a UN spokesperson, Guterres expressed deep concern at "rising tensions" between India and Pakistan. He pressed on the need for people to avoid confrontation that could have resulted in tragic consequences.
• Authorities on Tuesday closed nearly 50 public parks and tourists destinations across Jammu and Kashmir as a precautionary measure in the threat perception that comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam.