Fresh India Pakistan border hostilities feared as Kashmir tourist attack opens old wounds

NEW DELHI - The killing of 26 tourists in Kashmir has reignited India-Pakistan tensions, with analysts warning of a possible escalation of hostilities between the two South Asian neighbours, which have gone to war twice before.

India has blamed Pakistan for the April 22 attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, known as “mini Switzerland” for its alpine beauty. The killings shattered a period of relative calm in the restive region and dismayed residents, who depend on tourism for their livelihoods.

In just over 24 hours, New Delhi and Islamabad have downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled diplomats in tit-for-tat moves. New Delhi shut the only land crossing between the two countries, telling all Pakistani nationals with Indian visas to leave India by April 27 and those on medical visas by April 29.

Pakistan declared India’s decision to suspend a six-decade-old river-sharing Indus Water Treaty an “act of war”. It also shut down its airspace for Indian flights, among other measures.

“India-Pakistan tensions are currently at an all-time high,” said Mr Faran Jeffery, deputy director and head of the South Asia terrorism desk at the Britain-based think-tank Islamic Theology of Counter Terrorism.

“Pakistan is also anticipating some kind of military response from India. At least that’s what the indications are right now. Pakistani military is currently on high alert,” he added. “Things are definitely not headed in a very good direction at this time.”

Developments in the two days since the April 22 terror attack appeared to indicate that India could scale up its response, said security expert Dr Srinath Raghavan.

Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan but claimed in entirety by both sides, with India accusing Pakistan of long fanning a separatist movement and supporting terror groups, a charge denied by Pakistan.

The two have fought two wars and one