India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate After Kashmir Clash, Tourist Attack

Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire along the Kashmir frontier on Friday, marking the latest flare-up between the nuclear-armed rivals amid escalating tensions, Al Jazeera reported. The skirmish followed a deadly attack on tourists near Pahalgam earlier this week, where gunmen killed 26 people, including Hindu pilgrims and a local Muslim guide.

India swiftly labeled the assault a “cross-border terror attack,” implicating Pakistan-based militants—a claim Islamabad rejected, demanding evidence and retaliating with diplomatic measures. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned India’s envoy and announced visa restrictions on Indian journalists, accusing New Delhi of “baseless allegations.”

The Himalayan region, claimed by both nations since 1947, has seen renewed volatility since the Pahalgam massacre. India has deployed additional troops to Kashmir, while Pakistan warned against “adventurism.” Global powers, including the U.S. and UN, urged restraint, fearing miscalculation between the two atomic states.

Analysts note the incident mirrors past crises, such as the 2019 Pulwama attack, which nearly triggered war.