More than 1,000 religious schools have been shut and people have begun readying walled bunkers.Authorities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir have shut more than 1,000 religious schools over fears of possible retaliatory military action from India over last week’s deadly attack in the disputed region, as tensions soar between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
India blames Pakistan for the gun attack that killed 26 people on April 22 in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi providing his military “complete operational freedom” to deal with it.
Denying any involvement in the attack, Pakistan has said it has “credible evidence” that India is now planning an imminent military strike, promising that “any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response”.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a televised statement early on Wednesday that the attack could take place in the “next 24 to 36 hours”.
‘Readying underground bunkers’
Fearing a military escalation, authorities have shut more than 1,000 religious schools in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Advertisement
“We have announced a 10-day break for all madrassas in Kashmir,” Hafiz Nazeer Ahmed, head of the local religious affairs department told the AFP news agency.
A department source said it was “due to tensions at the border and the potential for conflict”.
About 1.5 million people live near the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where residents are also readying simple, mud-walled underground bunkers – reinforced with concrete if they can afford it.
“For one week we have been living in constant fear, particularly concerning the safety of our children,” Iftikhar Ahmad Mir, …