Border on the Edge as Wary Pak Ups Offensive

Time of India

01-05-2025

Tensions on the border have risen after a series of steps by Pakistan—the expansion of firing to the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, cyberattacks on critical military infrastructure that were thwarted and the movement of heavy firepower in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
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People aware of developments said flights and air activity in Pakistan has declined drastically since Tuesday as that country braces for military action by India in retaliation for the
terrorist attack on tourists
in Pahalgam that killed 26.
At an emergency press conference, Pakistani information minister Attaullah Tarar claimed that India is planning a military offensive within the next 36 hours, without offering any proof.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a day earlier, gave complete operational freedom to the armed forces to decide on the mode, targets and timing of the Indian response.
Officials said Pakistan has expanded the scope of its cross-border firing to impact the defined, international border at Paragwal in Jammu, too, going beyond the regular firing being carried out by its army on the contested Line of Control (LoC).
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As reported earlier, Pakistan has also moved reinforcements and heavy artillery, including long-range rockets, closer to the Indian border in the past few days.
Director General of Military Operations, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai, spoke to his Pakistani counterpart over a military hotline on Tuesday to warn that the unprovoked violations would not be tolerated, said people with knowledge of the matter. Heavier firepower is available on the Indian side in case the violations intensify.
The small arms firing on the international boundary follows a typical pattern of escalation by Pakistan, said the people cited. As many as 2,651 instances of minor small arms firing have been recorded this year and the ceasefire agreement has been violated with more intense firing at least 15 times.
Pakistani forces have also attempted to give covering fire for at least three infiltration attempts.
Seven terrorists were killed by Indian forces in these bids. In at least two meetings with Pakistani military officials in Poonch, India has issued warnings, demanding that they abstain from facilitating infiltration attempts with covering fire.
Over the past week, that country has also turned to cyber warfare and has been making attempts to breach critical Indian military infrastructure, said people with knowledge of the matter. While the attempts have been countered, Pakistan-based cyber operators have been targeting military related websites, including those of the Army Nursing College, Army Public Schools, Army Welfare Housing Organisation and Army Welfare Placement Organisation.
It is learnt that air operations over Pakistan have been severely curtailed over the past two days, with fighter jet sorties and movement of aerial early warning platforms reduced. This could be in response to the heightened alert on the Indian side that is armed with advanced air defence weapons, including the long-range S 400 missile system.