Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir on Tuesday, which left 26 people dead. India blamed Islamabad for the assault in the mountainous Pahalgam region and, by Thursday, ordered all Pakistani nationals to leave its territory by April 29.
In the wake of threats of retaliation and warnings of potential war, both countries exchanged gunfire early Friday in the disputed Kashmir region—a flashpoint that has seen repeated skirmishes over the years.
Sayed Ashfaq Gilani, a Pakistani official in the Leepa Valley, confirmed the overnight exchange, saying no civilians were harmed and daily life continued as normal. The Indian military accused Pakistan of initiating the fire and said it responded « effectively. »
Amid the rising hostilities—including visa suspensions, border closures, and the expulsion of diplomats—the United Nations on Friday urged both nuclear-armed nations to exercise “maximum restraint.”
Pakistan warned that any threat to its sovereignty or attempts by India to block the Indus River would be considered an “act of war.”
