Pakistan announced yesterday that it had shot down an Indian reconnaissance drone in Kashmir, where soldiers from both countries have been exchanging fire for the fifth consecutive night, according to the Indian army. Tensions escalated a week ago after a deadly attack killed 26 civilians vacationing in the disputed Kashmir region, which both countries have claimed since their independence in 1947.
Pakistan’s state radio said yesterday that Pakistan had succeeded in downing a quadcopter drone belonging to India along the Line of Control (the de facto border in Kashmir) and foiled a violation of its airspace.
Without specifying when the incident occurred, the report continued to say, “The enemy attempted surveillance operations using this quadcopter in the border area of Bhimber.” India has not yet commented on the matter.
As on previous nights, the Indian army reported that Pakistani forces opened fire with small arms at its positions near the Line of Control in Kashmir. The Indian army said its troops “responded in a disciplined and effective manner to the provocation.” No casualties were reported by New Delhi. Pakistan did not immediately confirm the exchange, but residents on the Pakistani side of the Line of Control told AFP they had heard gunfire.
New Delhi accused Islamabad of being behind the attack, which marked the deadliest civilian toll in the Muslim-majority region in decades. Pakistan denied any involvement and called for an “impartial investigation” into the incident. Both countries took retaliatory steps, including ordering border closures. India set yesterday a deadline for Pakistani nationals to leave its territory.
Experts fear that hostile rhetoric could escalate into military action. China, which holds influence in the region, urged both neighbours to “exercise restraint” and “resolve their disputes through dialogue to preserve regional peace and stability.”
Additionally, a Pakistani minister told Reuters that Pakistan is preparing to take international legal action over India’s suspension of a key water-sharing treaty amid rising tensions following the attack.
Aqeel Malik, Pakistan’s Minister of Law and Justice, told Reuters late Monday that Islamabad is working on at least three legal options, including raising the issue with the World Bank, which brokered the treaty.
He added that Pakistan is also considering action at the Permanent Court of Arbitration or the International Court of Justice in The Hague, where it could argue that India violated the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
Malik said, “The legal strategy consultations are almost complete,” adding that a decision on the cases to be filed will be made soon, likely involving more than one venue. Indian water resource officials have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Last week, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, following the Kashmir attack, saying it would remain in effect until Pakistan “credibly and irreversibly abandons its support for cross-border terrorism.” Islamabad denies any connection to the attack.
&uuid=(email))