Global Voices Urge Restraint Amid Escalating India-Pakistan Tensions

 

India-Pakistan Conflict Escalates: 38 Dead as Tensions Reach Boiling Point

07:08 PM | 07 May 2025 – Islamabad
Pakistani PM: Five Indian Jets Downed, No Airspace Violation
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan’s air force shot down five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, without crossing into Indian airspace. Two jets reportedly crashed in Indian-administered Kashmir, and one in Bathinda, India.
Additionally, two Indian drones were also brought down.
“This is conventional warfare,” Sharif stated, asserting Pakistan’s military capability. “Those who once said India had surpassed Pakistan in conventional warfare now see our strength.”

06:49 PM | Paris
France, Germany Express Alarm Over Conflict
At a joint press conference, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron voiced grave concern over the escalating conflict.
“We are deeply worried by last night’s clashes between these two nuclear powers,” said Merz, urging both sides to exercise "reason and clear-headedness."

06:40 PM | New Delhi
India Defends Strikes as ‘Right to Respond’
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that India carried out precision missile strikes on nine alleged terrorist camps in Pakistan, calling it a "carefully planned operation."
He emphasized that the strikes were designed to avoid civilian areas and were in response to last month’s Kashmir attack, which killed 26 people.
Pakistan, however, reported 26 fatalities, including 21 civilians and four children, from the strikes and subsequent cross-border fire.

06:01 PM | Kabul
Taliban Government Urges Restraint
Afghanistan’s Taliban administration called on both India and Pakistan to halt further escalation.
“This conflict is not in the interest of the region,” read a statement from the Foreign Ministry, urging dialogue and diplomacy via platform X.

05:55 PM | London
UK Calls for De-escalation, Issues Travel Warning
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer appealed for urgent dialogue and de-escalation, citing concern among British citizens.
The Foreign Office issued a travel advisory, warning against travel within 10 km of the India-Pakistan border and 16 km of the Line of Control.
"We continue to monitor the situation closely," said the ministry, urging British nationals to follow official guidance.

ndia-Pakistan Conflict Escalates: Dozens Killed, International Calls for Restraint Grow

07 May 2025 | Ongoing Coverage

India Launches Strikes; Pakistan Vows Retaliation
Tensions between India and Pakistan surged to their highest in years after Indian missile strikes targeted nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, killing at least 26 people, including civilians and children, according to Islamabad. India reported 12 deaths on its side.

Below are live updates from the escalating crisis:

07:08 PM | Islamabad
Pakistan PM: Five Indian Jets, Two Drones Shot Down
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed Pakistani forces downed five Indian jets—including three Rafale aircraft—without breaching Indian airspace. Two fell in Indian-administered Kashmir, and one in Bathinda, India.
Sharif also announced the downing of two Indian drones, adding: “This is conventional warfare. We’ve proven our strength.”

06:49 PM | Paris
France, Germany ‘Deeply Worried’ Over Escalation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron issued a joint plea for restraint, warning of the risks of conflict between two nuclear powers.
"Now more than ever, reason and diplomacy are required," Merz said.

06:40 PM | New Delhi
India Justifies Strikes as 'Right to Respond'
Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh described the strikes as "carefully executed" in response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Kashmir, which killed 26 people.
Singh said India destroyed nine terror camps with "precision" while minimizing civilian harm.
Pakistan, however, reported 21 civilian deaths, including four children, and five more fatalities in cross-border fire.

06:01 PM | Kabul
Afghanistan Warns of Regional Fallout
The Taliban-led Afghan government called on India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions, stating that continued military confrontation “is not in the interest of the region.”

05:55 PM | London
UK Urges Dialogue; Warns Citizens
British PM Keir Starmer urged immediate dialogue and de-escalation, citing concerns among the British Pakistani and Indian communities.
The UK Foreign Office advised against travel near the India-Pakistan border and in parts of Balochistan.

05:49 AM | Islamabad
Pakistan Updates Death Toll to Eight
Pakistan’s military confirmed eight dead, 35 injured, and two missing after 24 Indian missile impacts at six locations. A 3-year-old girl died in a mosque in Punjab province, military spokesperson Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.

05:25 PM | Islamabad
Pakistan Confirms India Lost Five Aircraft
Pakistan’s Defence Minister confirmed to Reuters that five Indian aircraft were shot down.

05:44 AM | Doha
Qatar Airways Suspends Pakistan Flights
Flights to Pakistan have been suspended due to the closure of Pakistani airspace, Qatar Airways announced via X (formerly Twitter).

05:02 AM | Muzaffarabad
Pakistan Alleges Civilian Casualties, Vows Response
Strikes reportedly hit civilian areas in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Emergency declared in Punjab province, with hospitals on high alert. PM Shehbaz Sharif pledged a response.

04:51 AM | New Delhi
India Calls Strikes ‘Non-Escalatory’
India said it launched “Operation Sindoor” to strike terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
The Indian government stressed the operation was non-escalatory and aimed at preventing further terror attacks.

04:46 AM | Islamabad
Pakistan PM Convenes National Security Committee
Amid intensifying hostilities, PM Shehbaz Sharif called a National Security Committee meeting at 10 AM local time, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.

04:43 AM | Washington D.C.
India Briefs U.S. Following Strikes
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval informed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the strikes. The Indian embassy said the strikes were “focused and precise.”

04:17 AM | Poonch
Kashmir: Epicenter of Tensions
The Kashmir region, claimed by both countries, continues to fuel conflict. It has witnessed wars, insurgencies, and numerous diplomatic breakdowns over decades.

04:15 AM | UN Headquarters
UN Chief Urges Military Restraint
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for maximum restraint, warning that the world “cannot afford” a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.

04:10 AM | Washington D.C.
Trump Reacts: ‘It’s a Shame’
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed regret over the violence: “They’ve been fighting for a long time. It’s a shame.”

03:47 AM | Islamabad
Three Civilians Killed, Says Pakistan
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told AFP that three civilians, including a child, died in Indian strikes.

03:15 AM | Srinagar
India Accuses Pakistan of Artillery Attacks
India said Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement, firing artillery across the Line of Control in the Poonch-Rajauri region.

02:52 AM | Islamabad
India Conducted Strikes in Three Pakistani Regions
According to Pakistan’s military, India carried out airstrikes in two areas of Kashmir and one in Punjab province.
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry called the strikes a “heinous provocation.”

01:58 AM | Muzaffarabad
Explosions Rock Pakistani Kashmir
Multiple explosions were heard after midnight in Muzaffarabad. Power was cut citywide. It remains unclear whether these were airstrikes or artillery shelling.