Pakistan convened its top nuclear oversight body on Saturday following a major military offensive against India, in which it targeted several strategic sites, including a missile storage facility in northern India, Reuters reports.
The move marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
In response, the Indian Army accused Pakistan of continuing "blatant escalation" through drone attacks and other munitions along the western border.
Indian officials vowed to counter Pakistan’s "enemy designs." According to local police, five civilians were killed in the Jammu region of Indian-administered Kashmir during the attacks.
The renewed conflict has triggered a wave of urgent diplomatic appeals for calm from world powers, including the United States.
The clashes, the most intense in decades, have raised alarm over the possibility of nuclear engagement in one of the globe`s most volatile flashpoints.
Pakistan claimed that the military action followed missile strikes by India on three of its airbases, one of which was near Islamabad.
Pakistani forces said they intercepted most of the incoming missiles using air defence systems.
In response to the escalating hostilities, Pakistan’s Prime Minister convened a meeting of the National Command Authority — the highest body responsible for nuclear policy, comprising both civilian and military leadership.
Expressing concern, Pakistan’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal called the conflict a critical test for the international community, warning against crossing the nuclear threshold.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio contacted Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir on Friday, urging both sides to de-escalate and offering U.S. support to facilitate dialogue.
"He urged constructive engagement to prevent future conflict," said State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.
Hostilities began on Wednesday when India launched airstrikes on what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" inside Pakistan.
Pakistan, denying any involvement in cross-border terrorism, promised strong retaliation.
