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By Shane Croucher
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Pakistan's National Security Council (NSC) said it had authorized the country's armed forces "to avenge" strikes by India, as powers including the U.S. and China—which borders both countries—urged the nuclear-armed neighbors to show restraint.
India launched airstrikes on Wednesday in "Operation Sindoor" targeting alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Jammu and Kashmir that it said was used as a launchpad for an attack on tourists near the town of Pahalgam on April 22.
Pakistan said the strikes had killed and injured civilians, including a woman and a child at a mosque that was hit. Pakistan's NSC called the strikes "acts of war under international law."
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"In consonance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty," the NSC said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorized to undertake corresponding actions in this regard," the statement said.
Pakistan responded immediately to the strikes with shelling into Indian-administered Kashmir, which India said killed several civilians. Pakistan also claimed it shot down several Indian military jets.
Tensions Erupt After Pahalgam Attack
Both India and Pakistan hold parts of Kashmir, and both countries claim all of it.
Tensions erupted between India and Pakistan over a massacre of 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, at a beauty spot in Pahalgam in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India has accused the Pakistani government of having a hand in what it has described as a terror attack linked to the Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
But Pakistan denies any involvement and its NSC said: "Pakistan has been emphatically rejecting Indian allegations claiming the presence of terrorist camps on its territory."
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'Non-Escalatory Strikes'
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had cautioned: "If India attacks, we'll respond."
India's Defense Ministry sought to contain the response to its strikes, saying they were "non-escalatory".
"Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistan military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution," the ministry said in a statement.
"We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable."
China, U.S. Urge Restraint
Lin Jian, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called India's strikes "regrettable" in his morning press briefing and said China is "concerned about the evolving situation."
"India and Pakistan are and will always be each other's neighbors. They're both China's neighbors as well," he said. "China opposes all forms of terrorism. We urge both sides to act in the larger interest of peace and stability, remain calm, exercise restraint, and refrain from taking actions that may further complicate the situation."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he is "monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan closely" in a post on X, formerly Twitter, and that "this hopefully ends quickly."
Rubio said he will "continue to engage both Indian and Pakistani leadership towards a peaceful resolution."
This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
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