Pakistan's Prime Minister Warns of 'Miscalculation' in Kashmir Crisis

On Wednesday, March 8, the governments of India and Pakistan claimed to have shot down each other's fighter jets. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Pakistan warned against any 'miscalculation' in the crisis between the two countries. Pakistan stated that after Indian fighter jets attacked a location within its territory, they shot them down and captured a pilot. This is the first airstrike by India on Pakistan since the 1971 war between the two countries, and global powers have urged both nations to exercise restraint. Following the escalation of tensions with India, Pakistan closed its airspace. In addition to the recent airstrikes, the militaries of both nuclear powers have engaged at several points along the border. According to Reuters, tensions between the two countries have sharply increased since a suicide bombing on February 14 in Indian-controlled Kashmir by a Pakistan-based Islamist group, which resulted in the deaths of 40 Indian paramilitary police. However, with the airstrike on Tuesday targeting a location in Pakistan that India claims was a training base for this Islamist group, the likelihood of war between the two countries has intensified. A senior Indian government official stated that 300 militants from this group were killed in the airstrike, but Pakistan claims there were no casualties. Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan called for dialogue with India and expressed hope that 'logic will prevail' so that the two countries can reduce tensions. In a brief televised address to the Pakistani nation, he said, 'History has taught us that war is full of miscalculations. My question is, given the weapons we have, can we afford to engage in miscalculations? We must sit down and negotiate.' A Pakistani official posted a video on Twitter claiming to show the Indian pilot of the downed aircraft. The individual, identified by Pakistan as Abhi Nandan, appears bloodied and blindfolded, stating his name and personnel number in response to a question. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated that the treatment of this pilot was 'a grotesque display of a wounded Indian Air Force personnel and a violation of all international humanitarian norms and the Geneva Convention.' India has not yet disclosed the pilot's name but has called for his immediate release. In another video shared by the same Pakistani official on social media, the pilot is seen drinking tea and thanking the Pakistani army for their treatment of him. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the second video. India and Pakistan have fought three wars since independence in 1947, two of which were over the disputed region of Kashmir. In 2002, the two countries came close to war following an armed attack by Pakistani militants on the Indian Parliament building. The recent conflict over Kashmir, which both claim, marks a sudden escalation in India-Pakistan relations. Last November, Imran Khan spoke of 'repairing relations' with India. Meanwhile, this conflict occurs at a very sensitive time for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who faces general elections in a few months. Political analysts suggest that the order for the airstrike by the Indian Prime Minister may politically benefit him, but on Wednesday, Mr. Modi's opponents accused him of politically exploiting the conflict with Pakistan. Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Indian Congress Party, criticized this action in a joint statement issued by 21 opposition parties as 'politicizing the heroic sacrifices of the Indian armed forces.' U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke separately by phone with his Indian and Pakistani counterparts after the airstrike on Tuesday, urging 'restraint from military actions.' Mr. Pompeo stated on Wednesday, 'I told the foreign ministers of both countries that we want restraint and to avoid escalation of the conflict at all costs.'