Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged small-arms fire across the Line of Control (LoC) in disputed Kashmir following a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepali. The assailants, identified by Indian authorities as members of the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, ambushed a group of tourists near Pahalgam, marking the worst such attack in the region in over two decades.
In response, both nations have taken significant retaliatory measures. India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, revoked visas for Pakistani nationals, closed the main land border crossing, and expelled Pakistani diplomats. Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian airlines, suspending trade, halting visas for Indian nationals, and placing all bilateral agreements, including the Simla Agreement, in abeyance. Pakistan also warned that any interference with its water entitlement would be considered an act of war .
The United Nations has called on both countries to exercise maximum restraint. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed concern over the escalating tensions and urged both nations to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences peacefully .
The situation remains volatile, with both sides on high alert and international calls for de-escalation intensifying.
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