Pahalgam terror attack: Indian community in UK rallies behind India

The US has urged India and Pakistan to work together to de-escalate tensions over the Pahalgam terror attack as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to emphasise on maintaining "peace and security" in South Asia. In his phone conversation with Sharif, the US Secretary of State called for Islamabad's cooperation in investigating the "unconscionable attack" that killed 26 people.

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) has banned the airing of 'Indian songs' on Pakistan FM Radio Stations on Thursday (May 1). This decision was taken after the Pahalgam terror attack, which shook India on April 22 (Tuesday). The last week's terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir targeted tourists, killing 26 people. Following the Pahalgam terror attack, India has taken strong measures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism. 

Citing security concerns, Pakistan has announced the closure of specific portions of Karachi and Lahore airspace for four hours each day during May and put all airports across the country on high alert, a media report said Thursday. The development comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack and Islamabad’s apprehension of retaliatory action by New Delhi. “The restricted airspace will be closed daily from 4:00 am to 8:00 am local time between May 1 and May 31,” Express Tribune said, quoting an official notice.
 

Pakistan opposes peace and development in Kashmir as it seeks to perpetuate unrest and undermine India’s sovereignty over the region. India believes that a stable and prosperous Kashmir, benefiting from education, industrialisation, and employment opportunities like the rest of the country, would fully integrate with the nation, rendering Pakistan’s claims irrelevant. By sponsoring cross-border terrorism and radicalising youth through propaganda, Pakistan aims to disrupt progress, derail tourism (a vital economic sector), and fuel communal tensions. From India’s perspective, these actions are part of a deliberate strategy to keep Kashmir unstable and in global focus, despite it being an internal matter.

On Deporting Pak Nationals, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief said this action is not good when it comes to humanitarian grounds.

"This is against humanity. They have been living here for 70 years or 25 years they are here and they have not hurt India. They have accepted that India, the consequences will not be good".

“We don’t want anyone turning against Muslims or Kashmiris. We want peace, and only peace. Of course, we want justice,” said Himanshi, the wife of Indian Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who lost his life in the Pahalgam terror attack.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah condemned the recent terror attack in Pahalgam region of the Union Territory, attributing it to security lapses and Pakistan’s attempts to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir. 

Abdullah criticised Pakistan's propaganda and Army Chief General Asim Munir’s provocative remarks on the two-nation theory, while expressing support for PM Narendra Modi’s response.

NIA Director General Sadanand Date has returned from Bisaran after spending three hours at the site. His visit is part of the ongoing investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, with on-ground assessments aimed at gathering crucial details and coordinating with local enforcement agencies.

Malik served as the adjutant general (AG) at the army’s general headquarters before his appointment as the ISI chief. Asim Malik is Pakistan's tenth NSA, and it is the first time that a serving ISI chief has been given the task to serve concurrently in the two key positions. He was appointed as the Director General of the ISI in October 2024. Read more

India’s decision to close its airspace to Pakistani airlines following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam is expected to significantly disrupt operations of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), leading to longer flight durations and higher operational costs, according to Air Marshal (Retd) Sanjeev Kapoor.

While Pakistan’s move to deny Indian carriers access to its airspace will have only a limited effect on India’s southern and western routes, Kapoor noted that it will more noticeably impact flights from northern cities, particularly New Delhi. Nonetheless, he emphasised that the repercussions for Pakistan’s aviation sector will be far more severe.

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, Border Security Force (BSF) troops foiled a terror plot in Punjab's Amritsar with the recovery of a large cache of arms and ammunition.

The recovery was made near the International Border with Pakistan in Bharopal village of Amritsar district, officials said, adding it was a "major success" against cross-border syndicate.

The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea seeking a judicial probe into the recent terror attack in Pahalgam and made strong remarks during the hearing.

The bench questioned the intent behind the petition, asking whether the objective was to demoralise the security forces as they prepare for a potential military response.

According to information, the gate on the Pakistani side has not yet been opened as the new directive issued by the Indian government is currently under review. Once the gate is opened by Pakistan, the BSF will check documents before allowing the Pakistani nationals to cross the border. After that, immigration checks will be conducted on the Pakistani side.

So far, not a single Pakistani national has crossed the border today and all are still waiting.

Earlier, the deadline to return to Pakistan was 30 April, but that has now been lifted until further notice. It has been stated that Pakistani nationals with valid documents can cross over to Pakistan through the Attari border.

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BSF troops along the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya frontier are on high alert, a senior BSF officer said on Wednesday.

He said the BSF is taking all preventive measures. "In the light of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, operationally we are fully prepared and our troops are on high alert at the border since the uprising in Bangladesh last year," Meghalaya Frontier Inspector General OP Upadhyay told PTI.

"In case of any eventuality, we are ready operationally and our troops are alert at all times. We are taking all preventive measures," he said.
 

Sources have confirmed that the Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), along with two Inspectors General and a Deputy Inspector General, will visit Pahalgam today. The high-level team is expected to assess the site of the recent terror attack, oversee the progress of the ongoing investigation and coordinate with local security agencies to strengthen counterterrorism efforts in the region.

On Wednesday evening, several popular Pakistani artists, including actors Mahira Khan, Hania Aamir and Ali Zafar, found their Instagram accounts blocked in India. The move came in the wake of a deadly terror attack in Kashmir that targeted tourists and has been blamed by New Delhi on Islamabad.

The attack took place last Tuesday in the scenic region of Pahalgam, a valley nestled beneath the snowcapped Himalayan peaks. Gunmen opened fire on holidaymakers, killing 26 people. Survivors reported that the attackers separated the men, questioned some about their religion and shot them at close range. Among the dead were 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.

Pakistani troops continued ceasefire violations along the Line of Control for the seventh consecutive night by its unprovoked firing in several sectors across three border districts of Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian military responded proportionately, officials said on Thursday. The exchange of fire occurred even though the directors general of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan spoke over the hotline on Tuesday amid rising tensions between the two countries over the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
 

"During the night of April 30-May 1, 2025, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small arms fire across the Line of Control opposite Kupwara, Uri, and Akhnoor in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir," a Defence spokesperson in Jammu said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and called for bringing to justice the perpetrators of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.

In a post on X, he said, "Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with the US Secretary Marco Rubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice."

India and Egypt held the fourth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism in Cairo on Wednesday, where both sides committed to enhancing cooperation in tackling terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

According to a press release from the Ministry of External Affairs, Egypt expressed full support for India in confronting all acts of violence. Both countries strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, describing it as a heinous act that deliberately targeted tourists.

Lieutenant General Mohammad Asim Malik, the head of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, has been given the additional role of National Security Advisor in a midnight appointment as the neighbouring nation scrambles in panic over an impending military strike by India.

Tensions are high between India and Pakistan following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which left 26 people dead.

The Express Tribune, citing sources, reported that a formal notification was issued confirming Malik’s new responsibilities. He assumed leadership of the ISI in September last year.