Cross-border attacks rock Kashmir

Pakistan said it was preparing to hand over the Indian pilot. Photo / AP

Pakistan was last night preparing to hand over a captured Indian pilot while blistering cross-border attacks across the disputed Himalayan Kashmir region continued for a fourth straight day, even as the two nuclear-armed neighbours sought to defuse the most serious confrontation in two decades.

Tens of thousands of Indian and Pakistani soldiers faced off along the disputed border known as the Line of Control in one of the world's most volatile regions. Tensions have been running high since Indian aircraft crossed into Pakistan on Tuesday carrying out what India called a pre-emptive strike against militants blamed for a February 14 suicide attack in Indian Kashmir that killed more than 40 troops. Pakistan retaliated, shooting down two Indian aircraft and capturing a pilot.

World leaders have scrambled to head off an all-out war on the Asian subcontinent. US President Donald said he had been involved in seeking to de-escalate the conflict.

Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, was expected in Islamabad yesterday with an urgent message from the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told lawmakers on Thursday, "We are releasing the Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture tomorrow."

But India made it clear that the latest escalation has changed their strategy and going forward they will strike, including inside Pakistan, if they get information of an attack in the planning. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that "India's enemies are conspiring to create instability in the country through terror attacks."

Khan also said that he had feared on Wednesday night that India might launch a missile attack, but the situation was later defused. He did not elaborate.

"Pakistan wants peace, but it should not be treated as our weakness," Khan said.

"The region will prosper if there is peace and stability. It is good for both sides."

Meanwhile, Pakistan's air space remained closed yesterday to most air traffic, although some domestic flights were allowed on Thursday.

Residents of the Pakistani border town of Chikhoti reported heavy shelling overnight and yesterday. More than 200 people had fled to a military organised camp about 20km from the border.

Kashmir has been divided but claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan since almost immediately after the two countries' creation in 1947. They have fought three wars, two directly dealing with the disputed region.

Modi, in his first remarks since the pilot's capture, gave a rallying speech ahead of elections in the coming months. "Our defence forces are serving gallantly at the border," he told tens of thousands gathered across the country to listen to him in a videoconference from New Delhi. "The country is facing challenging times and it will fight, live, work and win unitedly."

- AP