India Planning Strike on Pakistan in Next 36 Hours? Islamabad Raises Alarm

Pakistan Alleges India Plans Strike Within 36 Hours After Modi Gives "Operation Freedom" to Forces

Pakistan claimed on Wednesday that India is planning military action against it soon, as tension between the two neighbours escalated following the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said they had "credible intelligence" that India intends to carry out military action against it in the "next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident."

The minister also stated that Pakistan itself had been a victim of terrorism and always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations. He added that Islamabad had offered a “credible, transparent and independent” probe by a neutral commission of experts, and accused India of evading investigation and choosing a confrontational path. The statement released on early Wednesday also added that Islamabad will respond "assuredly and decisively" to any military action from New Delhi.

"Onus of any escalatory spiral and its consequences shall squarely lie with India,” said Pakistan.

Reportedly, Islamabad's claims came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, during a meeting with top defence officials.

Small arms fire has flared up at more points along the India-Pakistan frontier. The Indian Army reported that it responded to "unprovoked" firing from multiple Pakistani posts around midnight on Tuesday.

Earlier, India took a series of measures against Pakistan including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. The country also closed the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari with immediate effect. The Attari border, located 28 kilometres from Amritsar in Punjab, is the only land route currently open for trade between India and Pakistan.

[With inputs from PTI]