Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif stated on Monday that his government anticipates military retaliation from India following the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed at least 26 people and further strained Indo-Pak relations.
The targeted killings by terrorists have fueled anger in India, with growing demands for decisive action against both the perpetrators and those harboring them.
"We have reinforced our forces because retaliation appears imminent. Strategic decisions have been made in light of this situation," Asif told Reuters.
The minister confirmed Pakistan’s military had warned the government about potential Indian strikes. "Pakistan is on high alert and would only consider nuclear weapons if our existence is directly threatened," he added.
On April 22, victims were targeted based on their religious identity. The assault, attributed to The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), represents the most lethal civilian attack in Kashmir Valley in recent memory. The incident has triggered widespread public indignation and severely damaged the already fragile India-Pakistan diplomatic relationship.
In response, India has taken several tough measures: suspending the long-standing Indus Waters Treaty, downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan, and canceling all previously approved visas for Pakistani citizens.
Pakistan retaliated with its own countermeasures, halting all trade activities, closing its airspace to Indian aircraft, and issuing a warning that any attempt to divert water allocated to Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty would be interpreted as an act of war.
