Pakistan ready to cooperate in impartial probe of Pahalgam incident

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan is prepared to cooperate in an impartial investigation into the Pahalgam incident, but warned that any attempt to undermine the country's sovereignty or cut off its water supply under the Indus Waters Treaty would be met with "full force".

Speaking at the passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Sharif reiterated that while Pakistan desires peace, it should not be mistaken for weakness. He said the country’s armed forces are fully prepared to defend the country's security and sovereignty at all costs.

"Water is our lifeline, and there can be no compromise on it," Sharif said, adding that any attempt to block Pakistan’s water would be responded to with national strength.

"We will protect our water at all costs," he emphasized.

Addressing allegations over the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, where gunmen killed 26 tourists, the prime minister said Pakistan had been subjected to a series of baseless accusations.

He called for an impartial investigation into the matter and underscored that Pakistan would respond decisively to any aggression, referencing the country’s military response in February 2019.

Sharif also reaffirmed Pakistan’s longstanding position on Kashmir, describing it as "the jugular vein of Pakistan". He called for the Kashmiri people to be granted their right to self-determination.

Tensions escalate

Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors have escalated in recent days, with Indian and Pakistani troops exchanging gunfire overnight in Kashmir for a second consecutive day, the Indian army said Saturday.

According to Indian officials, "unprovoked" small arms fire was carried out by "multiple" Pakistan Army posts, prompting Indian troops to "respond appropriately". No casualties were reported.

There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan, though both sides had acknowledged gunfire exchanges the previous night.

The United Nations has urged both India and Pakistan to exercise "maximum restraint" to avoid further escalation.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump sought to downplay the tensions, saying the dispute would get "figured out, one way or another".

The dispute

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held in parts by India and Pakistan but claimed by both in full. A small portion is also controlled by China. Since their partition in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars — in 1948, 1965, and 1971 — two of them over Kashmir.

The two sides have also clashed intermittently at the Siachen Glacier in northern Kashmir since 1984, with a ceasefire coming into effect in 2003.

Tensions flared again in August 2019, when India revoked the region’s semi-autonomous status, prompting Islamabad to downgrade diplomatic ties and suspend trade with New Delhi.

An armed insurgency has been ongoing in Indian-administered Kashmir since 1989, with some groups seeking independence and others advocating for union with Pakistan. Thousands have been killed in the decades-long conflict.