<figure id="attachment_2901026" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2901026" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-2901026" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/44a3596a-12462069.webp" alt="INDIA KASHMIR HINDU FESTIVAL" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2901026" class="wp-caption-text">India and Pakistan have fought over Kashmir since the end of British rule in 1947. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
MUZAFFARABAD: Pakistan-administered Kashmir called on residents near the de facto border with the Indian side of the region to stockpile food today as tensions flare between the arch-rivals following a deadly attack last month.
India blames Pakistan for the attack by gunmen on civilians at the tourist site of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that killed 26 men.
Islamabad has rejected the charge.
The two nuclear-armed countries have exchanged gunfire for eight consecutive nights along the militarised line of control, the de facto border, according to the Indian army, and the uneasy neighbours have issued a raft of tit-for-tat punitive diplomatic measures.
&#8220;Instructions have been issued to stock food supplies for two months in the 13 constituencies along the line of control (LoC),&#8221; the prime minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq, told the local assembly today.
The regional government has also created an emergency fund of 1 billion rupees to ensure the supply of &#8220;food, medicines and all other basic necessities&#8221; to the 13 constituencies, he said.
Government and privately owned machinery was also being deployed to maintain roads in the areas along the LoC, he said.
The attack in Indian Kashmir and subsequent tensions, including expulsions and closed border crossings, have raised fears of a conflagration between India and Pakistan.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday gave the military &#8220;complete operational freedom&#8221; to respond to the attack.
Pakistan has denied any involvement and has said it has &#8220;credible evidence&#8221; that India is planning an imminent military strike, vowing that any attack would be met with a response.
Fearing a military escalation, authorities in Pakistani Kashmir shut more than 1,000 religious schools for 10 days yesterday.
India and Pakistan, which both claim Kashmir in full, have fought over the Himalayan territory since the end of British rule in 1947.

MatchPoint Times

Pakistan orders stockpiling of food as tensions with India flare

The nuclear-armed neighbours have exchanged gunfire for eight consecutive nights over an attack in Kashmir.

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