Violence Ignites After Pahalgam Attack in Kashmir
The already fragile relationship between India and Pakistan took a sharp downturn in April 2025. The spark? A brutal attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 27 people—most of them Hindu tourists—lost their lives. The blast, which the Resistance Front (TRF) promptly claimed, quickly morphed from a local tragedy into a major international crisis. Emotions ran high across both nations, stretching from bustling Delhi to the streets of Lahore.
Finger-pointing was swift, and diplomatic channels went cold overnight. Political leaders, especially India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, faced mounting pressure from their citizens to take action. What started with heated words quickly escalated into something much more dangerous.
Escalation: From Skirmishes to Water Wars
In the days after the attack, the Line of Control became the frontline again, but this time the stakes shot up quickly. Small arms fire and shelling between troops gave way to larger operations. Indian forces responded not just with firepower; they aimed at a completely different target—the lifeline of water shared by both countries.
India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a key agreement that’s kept the peace over water for decades. Then, Indian authorities released massive amounts of water from the Uri and Baglihar dams. The move had real and fast consequences: the waters surged downstream, flooding parts of Pakistan’s Muzaffarabad and surrounding regions. Pakistan’s government reported dozens dead and scores hurt. For families living by the river, daily life turned into chaos almost overnight.
This wasn't just about rivers and treaties. It was about turning a vital resource into a tool of pressure. The idea that water could be wielded as a strategic weapon rattled both ordinary people and policy experts. It’s one thing to spar over disputed land, another to mess with something every farmer and city-dweller relies on to survive.
But it didn’t end with water. On May 6, India launched coordinated missile and air strikes, targeting what it called Pakistani military installations. The action was direct and left little to the imagination. Pakistan’s military struck back, targeting an Indian infantry brigade headquarters, drone facilities, and battalion posts. Meanwhile, civilians on both sides found themselves stuck in the middle of these power plays.
Behind the scenes, top military brass like General Upendra Dwivedi from India and General Asim Munir of Pakistan coordinated rapid responses, knowing that one misstep could trigger an even larger showdown.
What made matters even more tense was how each country talked about their nuclear capabilities. India sticks to its 'No First Use' policy, publicly stating it won’t start a nuclear conflict. Pakistan, however, keeps things deliberately vague, keeping the region guessing and, frankly, on edge. This mix of clarity and ambiguity is one reason why both sides seem locked in a dangerous dance—pushing the line but not crossing it, at least for now.
Meanwhile, Washington is watching all of this with growing unease. For the U.S., the threat isn’t just about a war between these two neighbors—it’s about the domino effect. Instability here could mess with its broader plans to counter China in South Asia, and scramble tough-won partnerships in the region.
The unresolved conflict is more than a headline. It’s a warning about the thin line between peace and war when old grudges, nuclear weapons, and life-sustaining resources like water collide. For millions living along the border, it’s also a daily reminder that peace remains stubbornly out of reach.
