India planning imminent strike, Pakistan tells UN

Tension reaching dangerous levels in wake of Pahalgam terror attack

Indian paramilitary soldiers patrol a street in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir. EPA

Pakistan’s envoy to the UN said on Friday that Islamabad has “reasonable intelligence” indicating India may be preparing for military action against it within hours, raising fears of a dangerous escalation between the nuclear-armed rivals.

Asim Iftikhar Ahmad urged the international community to intervene, warning that any aggression by India would force Pakistan to respond.

The accusation comes after an attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, last week, in which gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindus. It was the worst attack on civilians in the contested mainly Muslim region in a quarter of a century.

India's UN mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tension between the two South Asian neighbours have long been high over territorial disputes, particularly the contested Kashmir region.

Mr Ahmad accused India of disregarding international law and engaging in “military adventurism”, saying New Delhi had falsely blamed Pakistan for a recent attack without providing evidence.

“India's conduct is incendiary and dangerous, with the potential for far-reaching and disastrous consequences,” he said, underlining that Pakistan does not seek escalation.

“This has been made clear by the political leadership and at all levels,” he noted. “But should India resort to aggression, we will exercise our inherent right to self-defence as enshrined in the UN Charter.”

Mr Ahmad also expressed alarm over India’s decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a historic water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank. The treaty guarantees Pakistan’s access to water from three key rivers, which Mr Ahmad described as a “lifeline” for millions.

“India’s unilateral and illegal suspension of the treaty poses an existential threat to Pakistan,” he said.

He also said that Pakistan’s National Security Committee has declared that any attempt by India to divert or block water flows legally allocated to Pakistan under the treaty would be considered “an act of war".

Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday met envoys from Gulf states seeking to defuse tension with India, his office said.

In separate meetings with the Saudi, Kuwaiti and UAE ambassadors, Mr Sharif briefed them on Islamabad’s stance regarding the April 22 attack.

Mr Ahmad said Pakistan had demanded an independent and neutral investigation but has yet to receive a positive response from India.

“We hope India will agree to this demand, as it is essential to uncovering the truth behind what happened,” he said.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres held discussions this week with Mr Sharif and India’s Foreign Minister, emphasising the “importance of avoiding confrontation to prevent devastating consequences” and proposing UN mediation, according to an official statement.

Meanwhile, countries such as the US and Saudi Arabia have called for a diplomatic solution.

At the US State Department, spokeswoman Tammy Bruce on Thursday said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken to both nations and urged them “to work towards a responsible resolution that maintains long-term peace and regional stability in South Asia".