Pahalgam terror attack: 'India's incursion imminent,' claims Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif

NEW DELHI: Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that India's "incursion was imminent" in the wake of the bloody Pahalgam terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir that took 26 lives, mostly tourists.
In an interview with the news agency Reuters, Asif said: "We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken."
The Pakistani defence minister said that Islamabad was on "high alert and that it would only use its arsenal of nuclear weapons if there is a direct threat to our existence".
Asif's remark comes at a time when the central government prepares for decisive action against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism that has threatened peace in the region of Jammu and Kashmir.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the Prime Minister’s official residence.
The meeting happened a day after Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) general Anil Chauhan briefed the defence minister on key decisions taken to counter terrorism.
This discussion followed an all-party meeting held three days earlier in the Parliament premises, which Singh chaired, to address the security situation after the attack.
The Pahalgam attack, which occurred on April 22, left 26 people — mostly tourists, including one Nepalese national — brutally gunned down at Baisaran meadow around 2 pm.
It was one of the deadliest assaults in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
Also, the teams from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have been stationed at the attack site since April 23, intensifying efforts to gather evidence. Meanwhile, the Indian Army has launched multiple search operations and remains on high alert to neutralise the terrorists responsible.
On April 23, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) convened to review the situation. In its meeting, the CCS strongly condemned the attack, expressed condolences to the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
Nationwide protests have erupted, demanding strong action against Pakistan for its role in supporting terrorism.
On April 23, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) convened to review the situation. In a detailed briefing, the CCS condemned the attack, offered condolences to the victims' families, and highlighted the incident’s apparent cross-border links, especially against the backdrop of Jammu and Kashmir’s recent peaceful elections and economic progress.