The situation between India and Pakistan remained volatile on Thursday, with reports of overnight shelling and strikes on both sides conjuring international diplomatic efforts to address the risk of a full-scale war.
After Wednesday's violence, Indian air strikes and Pakistan claimed to have shot down the plane and reported dozens of deaths – both India and Pakistan seem to be looking for a way to downgrade. Even as leaders of both sides openly impress the tone of victory, Pakistani officials said security officials from both countries had made preliminary contacts to reopen communication.
President Donald Trump also expressed his willingness to help, as U.S. officials said they were interacting with leaders in India and Pakistan to seek a peaceful solution.
There were hopeful signs of engagement Thursday, including a series of diplomatic meetings in New Delhi and Islamabad. Top diplomats from Iran and Saudi Arabia, important regional participants with close ties to the two belligerent countries, met in New Delhi.
But on the ground, this news is more violent. India said it had launched heavy shelling overnight from Pakistan's location along the border area. Indian officials said they had responded strongly and claimed they targeted Pakistan's air defense radar and systems. In the case of Pakistan, it added the claim that it shot down Indian aircraft, saying it had shot down drones that had penetrated into Pakistan's territory and had strike on Thursday. Many of the details claimed by both sides cannot be fully confirmed.
To show the escalation of violence, the United States has issued an alarm to American citizens in Lahore, the Punjab Province of Pakistan, bordering India nearby.
“Due to reports of drones explosions, shot down drones and airspace invasions near and near Lahore, the U.S. Consulate General in Lahore has sheltered all consulate personnel in place,” the statement said.
At the end of British colonial rule in 1947, the two countries separated from each other and fought several wars, with the main flashpoint being a disputed claim in the Himalayan region of Kashmir, splitting between them.
The latest escalation comes last month when a terrifying terrorist attack occurred on the Kashmir Indian side, killing 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of attacking and vowing military operations. Pakistan denied the allegations and warned that it would respond friendly if attacked.
The diplomatic impetus this week is centered around hopes that the heaviest military involvement could be included early Wednesday.
Pakistani officials said national security advisers of the two countries established “some interactions” after the initial strike on Wednesday. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar first mentioned engagement in an interview with news channel TRT. The second official confirmed the link but said it was indirectly – indicating that there were mediators in it.
Nevertheless, in these two capitals, it is clear that the risk of escalation is far from over.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government introduced the opposition's representatives to the opposition's military operations, with all politicians supporting the government's actions.
After the meeting, Indian Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said: “This is a continuing action.”
During a meeting with the Iranian opposition, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said the government's actions against Pakistan have been “targeted and measured”.
“Our intention is not an escalation situation,” he said. “But if a military attack was launched on us, there is no doubt that it will get a very, very firm response.”
In Pakistan, the country's leadership also showed a unified front. The dominant newspapers and social media are images of a funeral held on Wednesday for a 7-year-old boy who was killed during a strike in India. Pakistan's top leaders, including the country's prime minister, the president and its army head, were present at the meeting.
After the funeral, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned India's actions as “cowardice” and vowed that they would “suffer from decisive actions”.
