Mathew Amaechi
In an escalation between two nuclear armed neighbours, India and Pakistan traded missile strikes and artillery fire overnight along the disputed Kashmir frontier, killing at least 19 people and wounding 38 more. In response, the United Kingdom has signalled its readiness to help both sides de escalate the crisis, Britain’s Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told newsmen.
Indian forces launched missiles into Pakistani administered Kashmir and Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province in at least six locations, according to Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif.
The strikes — described by New Delhi as “proportionate responses” to last month’s militant attack on tourist buses in Indian administered Kashmir, which killed 22 people — struck civilian areas, including the Subhan Mosque in Bahawalpur, where 13 civilians died, among them a child.
In turn, Pakistani troops shelled Indian controlled districts along the Line of Control (LoC), killing seven civilians and injuring 30 in Poonch district, Indian army sources said. Islamabad claimed its air force shot down five Indian jets, though New Delhi has not confirmed those losses.
Speaking on Wednesday, Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the UK’s message to both capitals is clear: “We are a friend, a partner to both countries. We stand ready to support both countries. Both have a huge interest in regional stability, in dialogue, in de escalation and anything we can do to support that, we are here and willing to do” Reynolds added that his Cabinet colleague, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, has already reached out to counterparts in New Delhi and Islamabad, joining similar diplomatic overtures from the United States and European Union.
UN Secretary General António Guterres also urged “maximum military restraint” from both sides, warning that “the world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”The overnight exchange has fuelled fears of a broader conflagration in a region long plagued by insurgency and mistrust. Hospitals on both sides reported dozens of civilian casualties.
In Pakistan administered areas, doctors at Bahawal Victoria Hospital confirmed treating 38 wounded, including women and children. On the Indian side, medics in Poonch district scrambled to care for the injured amid intermittent shelling.
Local residents described seeking refuge in makeshift bunkers as artillery rounds whistled overhead. “We could see the sky light up with each explosion,” said one villager near the LoC. “There is no sense of safety for civilians here.”Britons have been warned to avoid all travel within 10 km of the India Pakistan border and within 10 mi of the LoC, following an updated Foreign Office advisory. Pakistan has closed its airspace for at least 48 hours, leading airlines to reroute flights and warn travellers of potential disruptions. Affected UK nationals have been urged to contact their carriers for rebooking options. Senior UK politicians from across the spectrum expressed alarm.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Labour MP Stella Creasy voiced “deep concern,” while former Conservative minister Lord Tariq Ahmad warned that “the potential for war tonight is real” In Islamabad, officials insisted their response was justified. Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry accused India of violating its sovereignty by launching strikes “from inside Indian airspace.” New Delhi, for its part, defended its actions as necessary to dismantle terrorist infrastructure linked to banned militant groups Jaish e Mohammed and Lashkar e Taiba.
Analysts warn that without urgent diplomatic intervention, the tit for tat exchanges could spiral further. Both nations maintain substantial nuclear arsenals, and any miscalculation risks catastrophic consequences. The UK’s offer of support for dialogue and de escalation comes at a critical juncture: time is running short to prevent a full blown conflict in South Asia’s most volatile flashpoint.
As skies darken over the Himalayan frontier, the world watches anxiously, hoping that Britain’s and other international mediators’ behind the scenes efforts will hold the line against a descent into war.
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