Pakistan and India step up military strikes amid calls to de-escalate

ISLAMABAD/JAMMU (Reuters): Pakistan and India launched strikes and counter-strikes against each other’s military installations on Saturday, prompting US calls for the neighbours to begin talks and defuse their escalating conflict, the most intense since 1999.

Fears that the countries’ nuclear arsenals might come into play spiked when the Pakistan military said a top military and civil body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet, but the defence minister later said no such meeting was scheduled.

Officials from both sides showed a willingness for now to take a step back following the day’s exchanges.

Pakistan’s foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, told local television that if India stops here, then “we will consider to stop here”.

The Indian military said regarding Pakistan’s military attacks on Saturday that “all hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately”.

Analysts and diplomats have long feared that conflict between the rivals could escalate into the use of nuclear weapons, in one of the world’s most dangerous and most populated nuclear flashpoint regions. Unlike Pakistan, India does not have a no-first-use doctrine.

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif played down any immediate nuclear threat, calling it a “very distant possibility”.

“We shouldn’t even discuss it in the immediate context,” he told ARY TV. “Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down. No meeting has happened of the National Command Authority, nor is any such meeting scheduled.”

Pakistan’s information minister did not respond to a request for comment and the military said it had no immediate comment.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir and India’s foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Saturday, urging both sides to de-escalate and “re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation”.

“India’s approach has always been measured and responsible and remains so,” Jaishankar said on X after the call with Rubio.

Indian Wing Commander Vyomika Singh told a press conference India was responding to moves by Pakistani forces but would show restraint if Pakistan did so as well.

“The Pakistan military has been observed to be moving their troops into forward areas, indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation,” she said.

“Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness. Indian armed forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is reciprocated by the Pakistan military.”

Strikes, counter-strikes

As tensions remain high, residents across Pakistan and India have rushed to stockpile food and other essential supplies, while families living near the border fled to safer areas. Indian authorities have installed sirens in high-rise buildings in New Delhi, some 650 kilometres (400 miles) from the border.

Pakistan early on Saturday said it had targeted multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in India’s north, in response to prior attacks by the Indian military.

India said there was limited damage to equipment and personnel at four air force stations. The military said there were several high-speed missile attacks on air bases in Punjab state and that India had responded to the attacks.

Blasts rang out across Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in neighbouring Punjab until early morning on Saturday. Jammu streets were empty hours after loud blasts were heard and projectiles were seen flying across the city sky.

“Jammu city has never been hit before. Never thought we will be hit like this,” said 60-year-old Rajeev Gupta, whose brother was wounded by a shell.

Pakistan said that, before its offensive, India had fired missiles at three air bases, including one close to the capital, Islamabad, but Pakistani air defences intercepted most of them.

Locked in a longstanding dispute over Kashmir, the two countries have engaged in daily clashes since Wednesday.

Pakistan’s information minister said in a post on X that Saturday’s military operation was named “Operation Bunyanun Marsoos”. The term is taken from the Holy Quran and means a firm, united structure.

Despite growing Western calls for peace, defence experts said the opposite seemed to be happening.

“Operations moving to next level - free use of missiles and drones by both sides,” said Pravin Sawhney, a defence author and former Indian Army officer. “And reports that Pakistan Army is moving troops forward. Not good indications of what lies ahead!”