Tensions between India and Pakistan have reached a boiling point following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people. The incident marks the deadliest attack in the region since Pulwama in 2019 and has triggered a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations.
India, accusing Pakistan of indirect involvement, has suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and adopted several retaliatory measures. Pakistan responded by suspending the Simla Agreement, closing its airspace to Indian flights, and halting bilateral trade. The situation escalated further with cross-border shelling reported along the Line of Control and missile tests from both sides. Pakistani leaders have even issued nuclear threats.
Amid this crisis, Pakistan's opposition party PTI has called for national unity. In a session of the Senate on Monday, PTI demanded the release of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan and urged the government to convene a multi-party conference with his participation.
PTI's Parliamentary Leader Senator Ali Zafar stated, "Now is the time to set aside political differences. A united stance featuring Imran Khan will show the world that Pakistan stands strong and united in the face of external threats."
Zafar also criticized the Indian government, comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership to "Nazi ideology" and accusing India of making baseless claims against Pakistan, which he described as a victim of terrorism itself.
In response to the water dispute, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif declared that Pakistan would defend its water rights at all costs. PPP leader and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto went further, warning that if water doesn't flow, blood might.
Both countries' leaderships continue to exchange strong rhetoric. Indian PM Modi vowed to hunt down and punish every individual behind the Pahalgam attack, declaring a nationwide resolve to eliminate terrorism.
With both nations on high alert and aggressive posturing from both sides, fears of a wider conflict loom large.