Indian Rafale jets retreat after detection by PAF near LoC

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) detected four Indian Rafale fighter jets patrolling near the Line of Control (LOC) late Tuesday night, forcing them to retreat after conducting a coordinated response, on the night between April 29 and April 30.

Security sources said the Indian jets were patrolling within the airspace over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) when PAF aircraft detected their presence and responded swiftly.

Tensions have surged between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following a attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

The attack, which occurred on April 22, claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, making it one of the deadliest incidents in the region since the year 2000.

On April 23, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a critical water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank, which has held steady through numerous conflicts between the two countries.

The next day, Pakistan retaliated by threatening to put the 1972 Simla Agreement in abeyance and closing its airspace to Indian flights.

India has suggested that cross-border links may have been involved in the attack, although it has not provided concrete evidence. In contrast, Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for an independent investigation into the incident to determine the truth.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Atta Tarar warned late Tuesday that Islamabad has credible intelligence indicating India may launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, using the recent Pahalgam attack as a pretext.

The minister criticised India’s approach, accusing it of assuming a “self-assigned role of judge, jury and executioner” in the region, which was labelled as reckless and destabilising.

“Pakistan has itself suffered immensely from terrorism and understands the pain and consequences of such violence,” the statement added, reaffirming Islamabad’s call for restraint and regional peace.