Head of Pakistan-administered Kashmir says Gulf states could help

1/5/2025 5:49

The head of the

Pakistan-administered region of Kashmir called for international

mediation and said on Wednesday that his administration was

preparing a humanitarian response in case of any further

escalation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan.



Pakistan's government has said it has "credible

intelligence" that India intends to launch military action soon

after days of escalating tensions following a deadly attack on

tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir.



India blamed Pakistan for the



April 22 attack



, which left 26 people dead, which Islamabad has denied.



"There is a lot of activity going on and anything could

happen so we have to prepare for it. These few days are very

important," president of Pakistan-administered Kashmir Sultan

Mahmood Chaudhry told Reuters in an interview, calling for rapid

international diplomacy to de-escalate the situation.



"We expect some mediation at this time from some friendly

countries and we hope that that mediation must take place,

otherwise India would do anything this time," he said. Saudi

Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates could be in a

position to mediate, he added.



Chaudhry also said he hoped major players like the United

States and Britain might also get involved.



He said activity along the Line of Control (LoC) that

divides the two portions of Kashmir was "hot" and that Pakistan

had shot down two Indian drones in the last few days.



There had been regular firing by Pakistani and Indian

soldiers day and night, though so far there had been no

casualties, he said.



Pakistan had also detected Indian Rafale fighter jets flying

near the LoC, though they had not crossed, he added.



The Indian Air Force did not respond to a request for

comment, though an Indian military official said Rafale jets

were doing their usual training and drills along the LoC.



Chaudhry said he had not received intelligence on when and

where India was expected to strike, but his administration was

working with groups such as the Red Crescent Society to prepare

extra medical and food supplies in case of any conflict.



"Red Crescent are working on it and we are working on

displaced people in affected areas," he said.



He said that the international community also needed to pay

more attention to Kashmir's long-term future.



"I think this is the right time for the international

community as a whole and the U.N. to play some mediating role in

Kashmir," he said.



"It's been a very long time and the people of Kashmir have

suffered a lot."



Pakistan-administered Kashmir has its own elected government

but Pakistan handles major issues like defence and its residents

hold many of the rights of Pakistani citizens.



U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke to Pakistan

and India on Tuesday, stressing the need to avoid confrontation.

The U.S. and Britain have also called for calm.