Pakistan-India news: Tensions rise around Kashmir conflict as both countries claim to shoot down each other's military jets
Risk of conflict rises dramatically
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.India has accused Pakistan of an “unprovoked act of aggression” after both countries claimed to have shot down each other’s military jets.
Islamabad captured an Indian pilot a day after Indian warplanes struck inside Pakistan for the first time since a 1971 war.
Tension has been running high since a suicide car bombing by Pakistan-based militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed at least 40 Indian paramilitary police earlier this month.
But the risk of conflict rose dramatically on Tuesday when India launched an air strike on what it said was a militant training base.
New Delhi claimed at least 300 militants were killed in Tuesday’s strike, while Pakistan says no one was killed.
The White House condemned the intensifying conflict and urged “both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation”.
Pakistan’s envoy to the United States, Asad Majeed Khan, said Islamabad would like to see the Trump administration play a more active role in easing the crisis. “We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States,” he told reporters.
At the same time, he said the lack of US condemnation of India’s strike on Pakistan is “construed and understood as an endorsement of the Indian position, and that is what emboldened them even more.”
Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan called for talks with India and hoped “better sense” would prevail so that both sides could de-escalate.
“History tells us that wars are full of miscalculation. My question is that, given the weapons we have, can we afford miscalculation,” Mr Khan said during a brief televised broadcast to the nation. “We should sit down and talk.”
The Pakistan government’s official Twitter account released a video of a man it claimed was an Indian pilot who had been shot down.
The man, whom Pakistan has named as Wing Commander Abhi Nandan and whose face was bloodied and blindfolded, gives his name and service number before telling a man questioning him: “I’m sorry sir, that’s all I’m supposed to tell you.”
A statement from India’s foreign ministry said the pilot’s treatment was a “vulgar display of an injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention,” ordering his immediate release. India has not yet named the pilot.
Pakistan and India have fought three wars since independence from British colonial rule in 1947, two over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, and went to the brink of a fourth in 2002 after a Pakistani militant attack on India’s parliament.
The latest escalation marks a sudden turnaround in relations between the two countries, both of which claim Kashmir in full, but only rule in part.
Follow how we covered the news as it unfolded
Please allow a moment for the liveblog to load
The risks of further military action by India and Pakistan are unacceptably high, a White House National Security Council official has said.
"The potential risks associated with further military action by either side are unacceptably high for both countries, their neighbors, and the international community," the official told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
"The United States is deeply concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan and calls on both sides to take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation."
The EU has urged India and Pakistan to "exercise utmost restraint" as tensions mount.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini warned "this has the potential to lead to serious and dangerous consequences for the two countries and the wider region."
In a statement, the EU's top diplomat called on "both countries to now exercise utmost restraint and avoid any further escalation of the situation."
Ms Mogherini urged them to resume diplomatic contacts and take "urgent measures," without elaborating.
She said the EU will remain in contact with both countries and closely monitor developments.
Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif spoke on Wednesday on phone with his Pakistani counterpart, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and offered mediation between India and Pakistan.
Mr Zarif, whose Monday's resignation was rejected by Iranian president Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday, urged both countries to practice restraint, the semi-official news agency ISNA reported.
ISNA said Mr Zarif is going to speak to his Indian counterpart as well, but did not specify a date.
Pakistan's diplomatic envoy to Washington has called on the US to play a greater role in easing tensions between India and Pakistan.
"We would certainly like to have more, and would certainly like to see more active involvement of the United States," said Asad Khan.
Thousands of Indian and Pakistani social media users have been pleading with their leaders to find peace amid escalating tensions as #SayNoToWar began trending on Twitter in both countries on Wednesday.
Indian actor Ranganathan Madhavan, who has more than 2.5 million followers, tweeted: "It's a war against terror not between 2 nations yet. Dear Media --you can actually stop this escalation .. please let's be responsible and work towards peace."
And the Indian politician Rukshmani Kumari agreed, tweeting: "The only war India and Pakisthan [sic] should fight is illiteracy, povery and violence #SayNoToWar."
Thousands of other Twitter users lent their voices to the cause as well.
"I as a citizen of Pakistan request my govt to treat the 'captive' Indian pilot well and send him back ASAP as a gesture of peace," tweeted activist and lecturer Tooba Syed. "Come on Pakistan you can do this #SayNoToWar"
"Everyone should call for a #PakIndiaCeasefire. Please stop the war mongering. War never benefits the people. #SayNoToWar" wrote Pakistani writer and activist Usama Khiliji.
Indian journalist and entrepreneur Vikram Chandra tweeeted: "Are we seeing signs of de-escalation? A relatively conciliatory speech by the Pakistani PM, while #SayNoToWar is trending in both countries. Probably too early to say."
And Pakistani singer Haroon Sharid wrote: "Those who celebrate war will not participate in the war, those who participate in the war, will never celebrate war. #SayNoToWar"
Pakistan's ambassador to the US said Pakistan wants "dialogue" with India and not war, but noted that prime minister Imran Khan has authorised Pakistan's armed forces to respond "decisively and comprehensively to any aggression".
He reiterated Mr Khan's assertions that Pakistan has made a "sincere" offer to investigate the deadly 14 February suicide bombing on the Indian side of Kashmir that prompted India's airstrike in Pakistan on Tuesday.
Acting US defense secretary Patrick Shanahan is focused on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and urged them both to avoid further military action, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, without saying if he had spoken with his counterparts from either nation.
In a statement, the Pentagon said Mr Shanahan had spoken with senior US military officials about the situation.
"Acting secretary Shanahan's focus is on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action," the statement added.
Britain, the US and France have proposed the UN Security Council blacklist the head of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which said it attacked an Indian paramilitary convoy in disputed Kashmir.
However, the move is likely to be opposed by China, which previously prevented the Security Council's Isis and al-Qaeda sanctions committee from sanctioning JeM leader Masood Azhar in 2016 and 2017.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments