The United Nations and the United States have urged both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint following deadly missile strikes by India into Pakistani territory that Islamabad has condemned as an ‘unprovoked act of war.’
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, expressed deep concern over India’s military operations across the Line of Control and the international border. ‘The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,’ the statement warned, calling for restraint from both nuclear-armed neighbours.
US Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen also voiced alarm, urging both countries to prioritize diplomacy. Referring to the April 22 attack on Indian civilians, Shaheen said the perpetrators must be brought to justice swiftly, while underlining the need for calm to avoid further escalation.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry condemned India’s actions as a ‘blatant act of war,’ accusing it of targeting civilians, including women and children. The statement claimed India’s missile strikes endangered civilian air traffic and violated international law. It rejected India’s justification of targeting ‘terrorist infrastructure,’ branding it as a fabrication aimed at deflecting blame.
The Pakistani government said it retains the right to respond under Article 51 of the UN Charter, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowing retaliation. ‘A strong and appropriate response is already under way,’ he said on social media.
Tensions intensified further after Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told international media that Pakistani forces had shot down five Indian aircraft and captured Indian soldiers. He asserted that Pakistan’s military response targeted Indian military facilities, not civilians.
On the Indian side, authorities reported that three civilians were killed in Kashmir due to Pakistani artillery fire. The Indian Army said it was responding proportionately to cross-border shelling.
India’s Ministry of Defense claimed its missile operation targeted nine locations associated with planning recent attacks against Indian civilians, asserting that no Pakistani military installations were hit. The operation, named ‘Sindoor,’ was described as ‘focused, measured, and non-escalatory.’
However, Pakistan’s military said Indian missiles struck six areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province, including a mosque where a child was killed. Dozens more were injured, and hospitals in affected areas declared emergencies.
The escalation has disrupted civilian life across both countries. Airports in Indian-administered Kashmir and parts of northern India, including Srinagar, Leh, and Amritsar, were closed. Airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, and Qatar Airways have suspended or rerouted flights due to changing airspace conditions. In Pakistan, schools in Punjab province were shut and hospital staff called to duty amid emergency conditions.
The UAE joined global calls for restraint, urging both India and Pakistan to de-escalate and resolve differences through diplomacy. Meanwhile, India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval briefed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on its military action, which India insists was based on solid intelligence linking Pakistan-based groups to the April massacre.
Analysts warn that the situation marks one of the most serious escalations between India and Pakistan in years. ‘Both countries have powerful conventional forces and nuclear weapons, and the risks of further escalation are very real,’ said South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman.
Civil defense drills were planned in parts of India on the same day as the strikes, signaling heightened alertness. Factories, schools, and infrastructure were set to conduct emergency preparedness activities.
As tensions continue to rise, both nations face growing international pressure to step back from the brink and avoid a broader conflict.
- With inputs from agencies.
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