Pakistani official claims India may launch military action within 36 hours

A Pakistani official claimed the country has credible intelligence indicating that India may launch military action against Pakistan within the next 24 to 36 hours, amid escalating tensions following last week’s deadly terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a public statement that India intends to launch a military operation using “baseless and concocted allegations” regarding the April 17 Pahalgam attack as justification. He accused India of assuming the role of “judge, jury, and executioner” in the region and warned that any military adventurism would be met with a “decisive” response.

Tarar said Pakistan had offered a transparent and independent investigation by a neutral commission of experts to determine responsibility for the Pahalgam attack, but claimed India had rejected the offer and was pursuing a path of confrontation.

“Consciously making strategic decisions hostage to public sentiments, purposefully trumped up for securing political objectives, is unfortunate and deplorable,” Tarar said.

Pakistan reiterated its position that it condemns terrorism “in all its forms and manifestations” and declared that it would defend its sovereignty “at all cost.”

The warning comes amid a rapid deterioration in relations following the terror attack, which killed 26 people—25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen—when gunmen opened fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran Valley area of Kashmir. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group India alleges is backed by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In response to the attack, India implemented sweeping retaliatory measures, including suspending all visa services for Pakistani nationals, closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari, and reducing diplomatic staffing at both countries’ missions. India also suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and issued travel advisories urging Indian citizens to avoid travel to Pakistan.

Pakistan responded by closing its airspace to Indian carriers, suspending all trade with India—including via third countries—and halting the issuance of South Asian regional visas for Indian citizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously vowed that those responsible for the Kashmir attack would be brought to justice and that support for cross-border terrorism would not go unanswered. The Cabinet Committee on Security has directed Indian military forces to remain on high alert.