The tensions in the South Asian region triggered by the Kashmir terrorist attack continue to escalate. According to reports from China News citing AFP, local time on the 27th, Indian officials said that the Pakistani and Indian military forces have been exchanging fire for three consecutive nights in the Kashmir region, causing the relations between the two countries to reach one of the lowest levels in recent years.

According to media messages from The Times of India and Anadolu Agency, the government of the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir region stated on the 27th that India opened the sluice gates of the Jhelum River upstream in the Kashmir region without prior notice, causing a sharp rise in water levels in multiple areas downstream in Pakistan.

A spokesman for the government of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, stated on the 27th that "moderate flooding has occurred due to India releasing more water than usual into the Jhelum River." The spokesman also urged local residents to stay away from areas near the Jhelum River. It is reported that the Jhelum River is the westernmost of the five tributaries of the Indus River in Punjab Province, India, and is the main river in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir region.

Reports indicate that moderate flooding has occurred in multiple low-lying areas of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, causing damage to agriculture and animal husbandry. As of publication, the specific extent of the damage caused by the flood and the economic losses have not been confirmed.

The government of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir accused India of deliberately implementing "terrorism against water systems" and stated that India's action of discharging water without prior notice violates the Indus Waters Treaty. It is understood that the Indus Waters Treaty is an agreement facilitated by the World Bank in 1960 to manage and supervise the water resources of the Indus River for the two countries. The treaty requires both India and Pakistan to share information about water discharge to prevent damage to downstream areas.

Reportedly, India has remained silent on this matter, neither confirming nor denying it.

On April 27, the water level of the Jhelum River in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir region rapidly rose, causing panic among local residents. Anadolu Agency

The fuse that sharply escalated the current dispute between India and Pakistan was the terrorist attack that occurred in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region on April 22: suspected militants fired at tourists in the area, resulting in at least 26 deaths and dozens of injuries. This incident has become the deadliest terrorist attack in the region since the Pulwama attack in 2019.

After the incident, the Indian government accused Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism" and announced a series of tough measures against Pakistan involving water resources, border control, tightening personnel exchanges, and expelling diplomats. Pakistan emphasized that India's accusations against Pakistan were baseless.

In particular, India declared a suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, halting cooperation on water sharing, "until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably renounces support for cross-border terrorism." Early on the 27th, India's Minister of Water Resources, Patil, stated on social media, "We will ensure that not a single drop of water from the Indus River flows to Pakistan."

It is worth noting that Pakistan heavily depends on the downstream water systems of the rivers in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region for hydropower and irrigation needs. Agriculture accounts for a quarter of Pakistan's GDP and provides employment for nearly 40% of the population, and about a third of the country's electricity comes from hydroelectric power.

Pakistan has also taken a series of countermeasures, including closing its airspace to India and suspending all trade with India, as well as halting and canceling all South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation visa-free entry scheme (SVES) visas issued to Indian citizens.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on the 26th that Pakistan is open to conducting a "neutral" investigation into the recent Kashmir attack and expressed concern over India's "groundless accusations" after the attack. He said that these accusations were made "without credible investigations or verifiable evidence."

Shehbaz also stated that water resources are a vital national interest for Pakistan, and the country will not compromise on core interests. In the event of harm to water resources, Pakistan will fully respond with military action.

On the 24th, the United Nations called on both India and Pakistan to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further deterioration of the situation. Stefan Dujarric, the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated on the 24th, "We strongly urge the governments of Pakistan and India to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that the situation and developments we see do not further deteriorate." He said that all issues should be resolved through meaningful engagement and peaceful means.

However, since the evening of the 25th, there have been several small-scale exchanges of fire between India and Pakistan. The Indian military issued a statement on the 26th stating that starting from the night of the 25th, the Pakistani military launched small-scale shooting at multiple outposts along the Line of Control in Kashmir. The Indian army retaliated with small arms.

On the 27th, both sides confirmed again that there was another exchange of fire between soldiers from both countries in the Kashmir region from late the previous night until early the next morning. According to Xinhua, citing Pakistani military officials, at around 11:30 PM to 11:50 PM local time on the 26th, Indian troops "unreasonably fired" light and medium machine guns at a Pakistani military outpost in the Jhelum Valley of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The Pakistani military then "countered with light weapons," and the firefight ended around 2 AM the next morning.

Since the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the issue of the status of Kashmir has been a focal point of conflict between the two countries. Both countries manage parts of Kashmir and claim full sovereignty over the region. The aim of the armed groups in the region is either independence for Kashmir or merger with Pakistan. India accuses the activities of Kashmiri armed groups of being supported by Pakistan, but Pakistan denies this.

After the Pulwama attack in 2019, which resulted in the death of 40 Indian soldiers, India and Pakistan once experienced severe military confrontation, including air combat and ground artillery fire, with the situation almost escalating into a full-scale war. Although the crisis eventually ended with Pakistan releasing the captured Indian pilot, it severely damaged mutual trust between the two countries. With the latest shooting incident, the international community is generally concerned that history may repeat itself.

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Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7497935297615774259/

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