Pakistan Holds Midnight Press Conference, Claims Imminent Indian Attack

Pakistan called a sudden press conference at midnight on Tuesday, claiming that India was planning a military attack within the next 24 to 36 hours. This statement comes at a time of heightened tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Following an attack last week in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, India accused Pakistan of involvement.

Pakistan’s Information Minister, Ataullah Tarar, stated in a late-night post on the social media platform X, “Pakistan has credible intelligence that India is preparing to launch a military attack within the next 24 to 36 hours, using the Pahalgam attack as a false pretext.” He warned, “Any aggression will be decisively responded to. India will be fully responsible for any serious consequences in the region.”

Pakistan on High Alert

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told Reuters in an interview that an Indian military attack was “imminent”. Speaking from his office in Islamabad, he said Pakistan was on high alert but that nuclear weapons would only be used if “our existence is directly threatened.”

Tensions further escalated between the two countries after India suspended the crucial Indus Waters Treaty and Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to find and punish those responsible for the attack.

Pahalgam Terrorist Attack

The Pahalgam terrorist attack on 22 April killed 26 people, mostly tourists, and injured more than a dozen. It is one of the largest attacks since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. However, the government has not yet officially confirmed the number of casualties in the Pahalgam attack. Following the attack, security forces launched a search operation to apprehend the terrorists responsible. Security has been heightened since the attack; images from the area show the usually bustling tourist spot’s roads deserted.