Islamabad/IBNS: Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Ataullah Tarar has claimed India will conduct a military operation against Islamabad over the Pahalgam terror attack and warned New Delhi of facing "catastrophic consequences".

Tarar held a press conference at 2 am on Wednesday to make the claims after India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave full freedom to his country's military to decide on a retaliation against the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

"Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.

"Indian self assumed hubristic role of Judge, Jury and Executioner in the region is reckless and vehemently rejected. Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism itself and truly understands the pain of this scourge. We have always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations anywhere in the world," Tarar said.

Tarar said if India attacks, the South Asian country will be countered "decisively".

"Being a responsible state, Pakistan open heartedly offered a credible, transparent and independent investigation by a neutral commission of experts to ascertain the truth.

"Unfortunately, rather than pursuing the path of reason, India has apparently decided to tread the dangerous path of irrationality and confrontation, which will have catastrophic consequences for the complete region and beyond," said Tarar.

He added, "Pakistan reiterates that any such military adventurism by India would be responded to assuredly and decisively. The International community must remain alive to the reality that the onus of escalatory spiral and its ensuing consequences shall squarely lie with India. The Nation reiterates its resolve to defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan at all cost."

Modi gives full freedom to Indian military

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the armed forces 'complete freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing' of India's military response to the Pahalgam terror attack which was targeted at Hindus.

Modi took the decision on Tuesday at a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that it is 'our national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism' and that he has 'complete faith and confidence' in the Indian military.

After the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, India conducted precision air strikes on terrorist camps in Balakot in Pakistan. The camps were run by banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed with the help from the Pak Army.

Pahalgam attack and its repercussions

On April 22, 2025, the terrorists- belonging to The Resistance Front (TRF), which is an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)- asked the victims to chant Islamic verses (kalma) and made them pull down their pants to be sure of their their non-Muslim religious identities (read circumcision)  before gunning them down before their families, including wives, children and daughters.

The massacre triggered nationwide outrage and escalated India-Pakistan tensions as New Delhi vowed to avenge the killings.

In an immediate response, India suspended the landmark Indus River water-sharing treaty and closed the Attari-Wagah road border, which acts as a lifeline of Indo-Pak trade and people-to-people ties, besides expelling diplomats, downsizing high commissions, and issuing a 48-hour deadline to Pakistani visa holders present in India to leave.