Asger Risom
Islamabad Responds to Operation Sindoor as Global Powers Urge De-escalation
Pakistan’s National Security Council (NSC) has formally authorized its armed forces to take retaliatory action following India’s use of high-precision weapons in cross-border strikes. The move raises the specter of wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations, as global powers including the United States, Russia, and China call for urgent restraint.
“Appropriate Measures” Approved After Civilian Deaths
According to HotNews, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office confirmed that the military has been empowered to take “appropriate actions” in response to India’s latest attack, which targeted nine sites allegedly linked to terrorist infrastructure. India claims the strikes were aimed at preventing further attacks by groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Islamabad disputes this characterization, stating that none of the six Pakistani locations hit were militant camps. A spokesperson for the Pakistani military reported at least 26 civilians killed and 46 injured, while JeM said 10 family members of its leader Masood Azhar were among the dead.
On India’s side, authorities confirmed seven civilians were killed and over 30 wounded due to Pakistani shelling and gunfire during overnight clashes. These events follow a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 Indian tourists were killed by militants.
Mounting Regional and International Concern
India’s Ministry of External Affairs defended the operation, with Secretary Vikram Misri stating that intelligence indicated imminent attacks planned from Pakistani soil, justifying preemptive strikes.
Pakistan claims it downed five Indian fighter jets during the incursion, though Indian defense officials have not confirmed this. The escalating tit-for-tat strikes mark the most severe fighting between the two countries in decades.
The disputed Kashmir region, which has been a flashpoint since both nations gained independence in 1947, remains at the heart of the conflict. With both militaries on high alert and nationalist rhetoric on the rise, calls for de-escalation have grown louder. Russia, China, and the U.S. have each urged both sides to step back from further military engagement and prioritize dialogue.
But with both capitals now invoking the language of “revenge” and “prevention,” fears are growing that this crisis may soon surpass diplomatic containment.