The Express Tribune reports that Indian journalist Archana Tiwari’s investigation highlighted inconsistencies in the official narrative of the Pahalgam incident. Tiwari questioned whether the alleged attack on a newlywed couple and the husband’s reported death were fabricated. A Kashmiri driver confirmed, “Yes, it’s all false. The husband is alive—it was all staged.” She further asked if videos of the widow and a traumatized child were also fake. The driver replied, “Yes, it's all political theater. How could terrorists firing from 10 kilometers away ask about the victims’ religion?”

The Indian government has imposed an immediate ban on all imports, direct or indirect, from Pakistan. Pakistani vessels are also prohibited from docking at Indian ports. A Commerce Ministry notice stated the ban was enacted in the interest of national security and public policy. The Wagah-Attari trade route was shut down after the Pahalgam attack, though limited indirect trade continued until now. The trade volume, however, was minimal.

India and Pakistan continue to trade blame over the recent Pahalgam attack. Now, a leaked document on Telegram has added fuel to the fire, allegedly linking India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to the incident. The document outlines a plan to produce forensic evidence using vague video footage 36 hours after the attack, attempting to tie it to Pakistan’s ISI. It also suggests that hundreds of fake social media accounts and pre-arranged media outlets were used to spread disinformation. RAW agents disguised as tourists were reportedly stationed in specific areas to act as ‘eyewitnesses’ for the narrative.

Indian authorities claim the four militants responsible for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, are still hiding in South Kashmir’s dense forests. According to NDTV, these militants are believed to be self-sufficient in supplies, which has helped them avoid detection—suggesting no ongoing support from across the border.

India’s Supreme Court refused to hear a petition demanding a judicial probe into the recent Pahalgam attack, citing concerns over armed forces’ morale. The bench, led by Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh, advised petitioners to consider the national interest, saying, “Don’t file petitions that demoralize security forces.” Meanwhile, Pakistan has labeled the attack a “false flag operation.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has assured India of full American support for its right to self-defense during a phone call with Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The conversation followed the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which India blamed on Pakistan. Singh accused Pakistan of training and financing terror groups and destabilizing the region. Hegseth expressed solidarity with India and stressed that the world can no longer ignore state-sponsored terrorism.

India has officially banned all Pakistani aircraft from entering its airspace, a retaliatory measure announced Wednesday night. This follows Pakistan’s earlier move banning Indian aircraft from its skies. The reciprocal decision marks a sharp escalation in airspace restrictions between the two neighbors.

A Pakistani woman named Sayyera was denied entry into Pakistan with her nine-month-old baby, Azlaan, because the child holds an Indian passport. Sayyera and her Indian husband Farhan had traveled to the border from Delhi, only to be separated by passport regulations. Border officials cited the baby’s Indian citizenship as the reason for denial, forcing the child to return with the father.

Cross-border gunfire between Indian and Pakistani troops continued for the sixth straight day. According to Indian military sources, Pakistani forces opened fire from across the international border in the Pargwal sector. The firing, which reportedly began Tuesday night and continued into early Wednesday, affected the Nowshera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC).

Indian forces returned fire in response to what they described as “unprovoked” aggression. So far, Pakistan has not commented on the allegations.

At least 14 people have died and many others suffered burn injuries in a devastating fire at a hotel in Kolkata’s bustling Burrabazar area. The blaze has since been brought under control. West Bengal Congress President Shubhankar Sarkar lashed out at the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, calling the tragedy “heartbreaking” and criticizing the lack of safety measures. “I don’t know what the corporation is doing. Many people are still trapped inside,” he said. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj confirmed the recovery of 14 bodies and the rescue of several survivors. A special investigation team has been formed to probe the incident.

Following the attack in Pahalgam, India has seen a surge in anti-Muslim sentiment online, with a growing number of hate songs appearing on YouTube. One such song, titled “Pehle Dharam Poochha”, accuses Muslims of conspiring against Hindus. Al Jazeera has identified at least 20 similar songs promoting Islamophobia and hate speech. Despite the growing hostility, it was a Muslim horseman who died trying to stop the attackers, and local Muslims were among the first to assist injured tourists.

Indian authorities in Ahmedabad’s Chandola Lake area have begun demolishing illegal settlements allegedly housing undocumented Bangladeshis. Over the past three days, police detained around 6,500 people, confirming that about 450 of them are Bangladeshi nationals illegally residing in Gujarat, according to State Police Director General Vikas Sahay.

In response to militant attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with top defense and security officials. Modi expressed full confidence in the professionalism of the armed forces and granted them complete operational freedom to decide when and how to strike back. He reiterated that terrorism threatens India’s national resolve and must be decisively countered.

Responding to Bilawal Bhutto’s comments that “either our water will flow through the Indus or their blood,” Asaduddin Owaisi called the remarks “childish” and inappropriate. He reminded Bilawal of the tragedies faced by his grandfather and mother, urging him to act responsibly. Owaisi warned that no nation would remain silent if innocent civilians are harmed under the guise of such rhetoric.

Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun claimed that India lacks the courage to attack Pakistan and vowed not to let Indian troops use Punjab for such a purpose. “We, 20 million Sikhs, will stand like a wall beside Pakistan,” he declared, adding that attackers — whether Indira Gandhi, Narendra Modi, or others — never survive. He also vowed to bring Modi, Doval, Shah, and Jaishankar to justice.