Pakistan has vowed to retaliate against India following deadly air strikes in the disputed region of Kashmir, raising fears of a significant escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared his country’s intent to avenge the deaths caused by the Indian strikes, which New Delhi claimed were in response to an earlier attack in the India-controlled Kashmir region.
“We make this pledge, that we will avenge each drop of the blood of these martyrs,”
Sharif said in a national address on Wednesday evening.
The ongoing tension has led to heavy artillery exchanges along the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing Kashmir. Reports indicate at least 43 people have been killed so far—31 civilians in Pakistan due to Indian strikes and artillery fire, and 12 in India from Pakistani shelling.
Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, claimed that five Indian jets had been downed across the border. Meanwhile, an unnamed senior Indian security official told AFP that three Indian fighter jets had crashed on home territory.
India, however, stated that its military actions have been “focused, measured, and non-escalatory.” Indian authorities have emphasized that their strikes were a direct response to the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, in the India-controlled Kashmir, on April 22.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of initiating the strikes to boost his domestic popularity ahead of elections, warning that Islamabad “won’t take long to settle the score.”
Calls for Restraint
The international community has expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions. Diplomats and world leaders are urging both nations to exercise restraint to avoid further conflict.
“The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,”
said a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged both sides to “exercise restraint and refrain from actions that could further complicate the situation.”
U.S. President Donald Trump called for an immediate halt to the hostilities, stating,
“If I can do anything to help, I will be there.”
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy emphasized the need for stability in the region.
“I have made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, no one wins. We need all sides to work urgently to see regional stability restored and ensure protection of civilians,”
Lammy said.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei expressed grave concern over the rising tensions, reaffirming Iran’s stance on avoiding the use of force and respecting national sovereignty.
Similarly, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry called for all efforts to achieve calm and defuse the crisis, warning against further escalation.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry warned that the “provocative steps” could lead to an “all-out war,” urging both parties to act with “common sense” and avoid “unilateral actions.”
