India, Pakistan exchange fire as UN calls for 'maximum restraint'
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Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged fire along the Line of Control in Kashmir, further straining relations following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, as both sides accuse each other of aggression and the UN calls for restraint.
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Indian Border Security Force soldiers stand guard at the barricade on the road leading to the Attari-Wagah border on India's side, near Amritsar, Thursday, April 24, 2025 (AP)
Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged small arms fire overnight along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, escalating tensions after a deadly shooting at a Pahalgam resort. India accused Pakistan of initiating the attack, which was met with a swift response from Indian forces, though no casualties were reported. The UN has called for both countries to exercise restraint amid the rising conflict.
“We very much appeal to both the governments … to exercise maximum restraint, and to ensure that the situation and the developments we’ve seen do not deteriorate any further,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters in New York City.
“Any issues between Pakistan and India, we believe, can be and should be resolved peacefully through meaningful mutual engagement,” he added.
Relations between India and Pakistan have deteriorated to their lowest point in years following the deadly shooting in Kashmir. In discussions with envoys from 25 countries, India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, claimed New Delhi had "clear evidence of cross-border complicity" in the attack, and Indian police identified two of the three fugitive assailants as Pakistani nationals. However, Islamabad has denied involvement, accusing India of failing to provide adequate evidence to link the Pakistani government to the attack.
Islamabad dismissed New Delhi's efforts to associate Pakistan with the Pahalgam attack as “frivolous” and pledged to retaliate against any actions taken by India.
“Any threat to Pakistan’s sovereignty and to the security of its people will be met with firm reciprocal measures in all domains,” it said after Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a rare national security committee meeting with top military chiefs.
In response to New Delhi suspending its water-sharing treaty, Islamabad warned that any attempt by India to halt the water supply would be considered an "act of war." New Delhi also downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan, closing the main land border crossing and canceling visas for Pakistanis. In retaliation, Islamabad expelled Indian diplomats and military advisers, revoked visas for Indian nationals, except for Sikh pilgrims, and closed its own border crossing.
Kashmir has remained a contentious region since the 1947 partition, with India and Pakistan each claiming it as their own, while China also asserts its territorial interests in the area.
The militant attack
This follows a deadly attack that took place on Wednesday. 26 people were killed and 17 were injured when suspected militants opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, marking the deadliest civilian attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Among the dead were 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen. A group that identifies itself as the Kashmir Resistance group claimed responsibility, citing opposition to the demographic changes, namely the settlement of over 85,000 "outsiders" since India revoked Kashmir's special status in 2019.
In response, Indian security forces launched a major manhunt, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cut short a two-day official visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to New Delhi on Wednesday. The attack has raised concerns over the safety of tourists, leading to flight surges from Srinagar and protests in the region. Kashmir's tourism, which had been growing due to a decline in insurgent violence, now faces new challenges amid ongoing conflict.
