April 29-30 Incident: Pakistan Air Force Responds to Indian Jets Near LOC
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) detected four Indian Rafale fighter jets patrolling near the Line of Control (LOC) late Tuesday night, prompting a swift coordinated response from the PAF that forced the Indian jets to retreat. This occurred between the night of April 29 and April 30. According to security sources, the Indian jets were patrolling within the airspace over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) when the PAF aircraft identified their presence and reacted quickly.
Rising Tensions Following Pahalgam Attack
The tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have escalated following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which occurred on April 22. The attack claimed the lives of 26 individuals, mostly tourists, marking it as one of the deadliest incidents in the region since 2000.
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Diplomatic Fallout: Suspension of Key Agreements
In the wake of the attack, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 23, a vital water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank and which has endured despite numerous conflicts between the two nations. The following day, Pakistan retaliated by threatening to suspend the 1972 Simla Agreement and closing its airspace to Indian flights.
Allegations and Denials of Cross-Border Involvement
India has suggested that the attack may have had cross-border links, though it has not presented concrete evidence to support these claims. In contrast, Pakistan strongly denies any involvement in the incident.
Pakistan’s Call for Independent Investigation and Restraint
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an independent investigation into the attack, urging the need to uncover the truth. Meanwhile, Information Minister Atta Tarar warned late Tuesday that Islamabad had credible intelligence indicating that India may launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, using the Pahalgam attack as a pretext.
Minister Tarar condemned India’s approach, accusing the country of taking on a “self-assigned role of judge, jury, and executioner,” calling it reckless and destabilizing. He also emphasized that Pakistan, having suffered immensely from terrorism, understands the painful consequences of such violence and reaffirmed Islamabad’s call for restraint and regional peace.
