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1. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply yesterday, as the Pakistani government said it would consider it “an act of war” if India followed through on a threat to block the flow of crucial rivers as punishment for a deadly militant attack in Kashmir. After a high-level meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Committee, the government announced a series of sweeping retaliatory measures, including the closing of its airspace to Indian carriers, a reduction of India’s diplomatic staff in Islamabad and a suspension of all trade with India. The Indian government has not officially identified any group as being behind the attack on Tuesday in a scenic tourist area of Indian-administered Kashmir. But it announced a flurry of punitive measures against Pakistan on Wednesday, including the suspension of an important water treaty, in response to what it said was Pakistan’s support of terrorist attacks inside India. On Thursday, Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership called India’s actions — which included the revocation of visas for Pakistanis and a downgrading of diplomatic ties — “unilateral, politically motivated and legally void.” Pakistan has denied any involvement in Tuesday’s attack. The Pakistani government reserved its strongest words for India’s actions on the water treaty, saying it would respond decisively if the rivers were blocked or diverted. Pakistan relies on water from the Indus river system, which flows through India, for about 90 percent of its agriculture. (Source: nytimes.com)

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2. Indian and Pakistan troops fired on each other overnight across the “Line of Control” in Kashmir, as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals deteriorated further after a terror attack in the disputed region earlier this week. Officials in both countries confirmed the exchange of fire. India’s army said there had been limited firing “initiated by Pakistan”, adding that it had been “effectively responded to” by its forces. Syed Ashfaq Gilani, a government official in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, said there had been “no firing on the civilian population”. The clash came as the United Nations called on the two countries to show “maximum restraint” after a terrorist attack left 26 dead in Kashmir. The overnight clashes were the latest development in a week of deteriorating relations. (Source: thetimes.com)

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