Since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has expressed concerns over possible Indian retaliation. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that India could launch an attack within 24 to 36 hours.
Lieutenant General Mohammad Asim Malik, the head of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, has been given the additional role of National Security Advisor in a midnight appointment as the neighbouring nation scrambles in panic over an impending military strike by India.
Tensions are high between India and Pakistan following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which left 26 people dead.
The Express Tribune, citing sources, reported that a formal notification was issued confirming Malik’s new responsibilities. He assumed leadership of the ISI in September last year.
Since the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has expressed concerns over possible Indian retaliation. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that India could launch an attack within 24 to 36 hours, citing what he called credible intelligence. He posted a warning on X, cautioning that any aggressive action would provoke a decisive response, with India held accountable for the consequences.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his administration have criticised what they claim is India’s “empty rhetoric” following the attack and have demanded a neutral probe into the incident.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking to Reuters, suggested that an Indian military incursion appeared likely. He said Pakistan remained on high alert and would only consider the use of nuclear weapons if its existence were under direct threat.
India’s stern reaction after the Pahalgam attack has unsettled both Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership. In response, Islamabad has deployed officials to key international capitals, moved militant assets into hiding and reinforced its border positions.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack but later retracted the claim, reportedly under pressure from Pakistan’s defence establishment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been conducting regular security briefings with Cabinet ministers and military leaders. He has vowed to track down those responsible for the attack and their supporters, no matter where they are.
In the wake of the incident, India has downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and taken a range of actions, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani military attaches, closing Indian airspace to Pakistani airlines and shutting the Attari-Wagah border crossing. Pakistan responded with reciprocal measures, including the suspension of the Simla Agreement.
