Pakistan ready to defend sovereignty after India threats

Pakistan’s leader announced his readiness to defend the country on Saturday, after New Delhi blamed a deadly attack in Indian-run Kashmir on Islamabad, sending already fraught relations into a tailspin with soldiers exchanging gunfire across their contested frontier.

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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also called fora “neutral investigation”, with India accusing Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” afier gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in Kashmir for a quarter of a century.

Islamabad denies involvement in the April 22 attack on tourists in Pahalgam, where a gang of gunmen killed 26 men.

“Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty,” Sharif said at a military ceremony in Abbottabad.

Both sides have imposed a slew of diplomatic measures, and exchanged gunfire in Kashmir two times in as many days.

India’s army said “unprovoked” small arms firing was carried out by “multiple” Pakistan army posts overnight.

“Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms,” it said in a statement, adding that no casualties were reported.