Islamabad: India and Pakistan exchanged warnings regarding each other’s airspace, escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after the April 23 shooting incident in the Balaham area of Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in 23 fatalities. The Indian government has decided to ban aircraft operated by Pakistani-registered airlines, including military aircraft, from entering its airspace starting midnight on April 30. This decision extends to any aircraft registered in Pakistan, or owned, operated, or leased by any Pakistani airline or operator-including military flights-until May 23.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, this move by India is in response to Pakistan’s decision on April 24 to close its airspace to aircraft operated by Indian airlines and private aircraft registered in India. Concurrently, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that the Pakistani armed forces are on alert and prepared to respond to any Indian aggression. He emphasized that while Pakistan will not initiate military intervention, it will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity with full force.

During a joint press conference with Pakistani military spokesman Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry in Islamabad, Ishaq Dar stated, “We demand a transparent and independent investigation by impartial investigators.” He highlighted that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had proposed an impartial, independent, and transparent investigation into the Balaham incident.

The Pakistani military spokesman affirmed that Pakistan is ready to defend its sovereignty, stating that the armed forces are on high alert. The Pakistani News Agency reported that the army is continuing its exercises on the border with India, utilizing modern heavy and light weapons, including tanks. Military sources confirmed that forces stationed on the dividing line in Kashmir responded forcefully to a ceasefire violation by the Indian army on the night of April 29-30, destroying an Indian military position on the line of control.