ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar warned on Wednesday that India may be planning a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours.
In a video statement, Tarar said Pakistan had received credible intelligence suggesting that India was preparing for military action based on what he described as "baseless and concocted allegations" relating to the recent incident in Pahalgam, located in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
He warned that any such move by India would be met with a "decisive" response.
"India's self-assumed hubristic role of judge, jury and executioner in the region is reckless and vehemently rejected," Tarar said.
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The minister noted that Pakistan had offered an "open-hearted, credible, transparent and independent" investigation by a neutral commission of experts to establish the facts behind the Pahalgam incident.
However, he said, India had opted for "irrationality and confrontation" over reasoned inquiry.
Tarar warned that any Indian military adventurism would be "assuredly and decisively" responded to, and urged the international community to take note that responsibility for any escalation would rest with India.
He reaffirmed Pakistan's resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.
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Tensions between the two South Asian neighbors have escalated following a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam earlier this month, in which at least 25 people were killed, according to Indian media reports.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack, an allegation Islamabad has strongly denied.
Late Tuesday night, the airfield at Islamabad International Airport was briefly closed after aviation authorities issued a high alert due to an unspecified reason, official sources said.
The alert began at 11:48 pm local time Tuesday (1848 GMT) on April 29 and lasted until 12:21 am Wednesday (1921 GMT Tuesday) on April 30, leading to a temporary suspension of outbound flight operations for approximately 33 minutes, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
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During this period, boarding procedures for three international flights, PK-233 bound for Dubai, PK-287 for Doha, and PA-210 also heading to Dubai were not initiated, the sources added.
Authorities have yet to release details about the nature of the high alert.
Despite the brief disruption, all inbound flights operated according to schedule, and normal airfield operations resumed shortly after the alert was lifted.
Authorities assured passengers that safety protocols were followed to ensure the security of all travelers.
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Islamabad International Airport serves as one of Pakistan's key aviation hubs, handling both domestic and international traffic.
The temporary suspension raised concerns among travelers, though services returned to normal shortly after midnight.
