India-Pakistan: Latest news on Kashmir crisis

By Euan McKirdy, Bianca Britton and Eliza Mackintosh, CNN

Updated 1:04 a.m. ET, March 8, 2019
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6:55 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Pakistan says four civilians killed by Indian shelling

From CNN’s Swati Gupta in Delhi and Adeel Raja in Islamabad

Pakistan’s military says four of its civilians are dead and two others injured as a result of cross-border fire from India, a spokesperson told CNN.

Pakistan says it retaliated in response to India’s "deliberate firing on civilians." The most recent shelling by Pakistani artillery was in the Pani district of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

In a statement on cross border violence Thursday, Indian’s army accused Pakistan of initiating the attacks earlier this morning. The Indian statement said Pakistan fired mortars and small arms over the Line of Control and into the Krishna Ghati sector of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

7:03 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Pakistan to release detained Indian pilot

From Adeel Raja in Islamabad

An image taken from a video released by Pakistan's military shows an Indian pilot identified as Wing Commander Abhinandan.
An image taken from a video released by Pakistan's military shows an Indian pilot identified as Wing Commander Abhinandan. Pakistan Military/AP

Pakistan said that on Friday it would release the Indian pilot who has been in Pakistani custody since his plane was shot down on Wednesday.

“We are releasing the Indian pilot tomorrow as a gesture for peace,” Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a televised address Thursday.

9:41 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

What's the latest on Kashmir?

From CNN's Helen Regan

Just joining us? Here's what you missed.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first public comments since an Indian pilot was detained by Pakistan. Modi did not talk specifically about Pakistan or the pilot, instead, the prime minister spoke in general terms about trusting in the "army's capabilities" and working hard for the "prosperity of the country."

Meanwhile, hot off the heels of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, US President Donald Trump addressed the crisis in Kashmir and alluded to possible US attempts to deescalate the situation.

"They've been going at it, and we've been involved in trying to have them stop. And we have some reasonably decent news, hopefully that's going to be coming to an end," said Trump.

Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said that the country is "at the cross road of history" as tensions between the nuclear armed neighbors become increasingly fraught. While the Indian Minister of State for External Affairs, General Vijay Kumar Singh called for the release of the pilot who was taken into custody in Pakistan. Identifying him as Wing Commander Abhinandan, Singh described him as the “embodiment of a mentally tough, selfless & courageous soldier."

And there were severe disruptions to thousands of flights around the world as Pakistan closed its airspace for the second straight day. All international and domestic commercial flights in and out of Pakistan were canceled "until further notice" and Thai Airways announced that all its European routes were suspended. The airline later reopened its routes to Europe but Thai Airways flights to Pakistan remain canceled.

For more on the border crisis between India and Pakistan, here's analysis from CNN's Nic Robertson and Euan McKirdy.

4:31 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Kashmir crisis is in the hands of two populist leaders with political agendas

By CNN's Nic Robertson

When two populists go to war, there is every chance their people will suffer more than they will.

These are the stakes that face both the recently-elected Imran Khan in Pakistan and Narendra Modi, of the Hindu Nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in India, who is soon to face the electorate again.

To avoid escalating their current confrontation, the two prime ministers will have to face down the powerful pull of historic rivalries and mistrust, coupled with the more immediate needs of their own political careers.

Both countries say they don't want war.

Since they became nuclear powers, every time India and Pakistan have gotten to the point of toe-touching, eye-staring aggression the international pressure on them to step back from the brink has ratcheted up. 

It's no different now, with the US, UK and even China imploring both countries to back off in the past 48 hours.

Read more analysis from CNN's Nic Robertson here.

4:03 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

With India tensions simmering, is Imran Khan ready for his first big political test as Pakistan’s Prime Minister?

Analysis by Euan McKirdy

Pakistani cricket star-turned-politician and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan gestures as he delivers a speech during a political campaign rally, in Islamabad, on July 21, 2018.
Pakistani cricket star-turned-politician and head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan gestures as he delivers a speech during a political campaign rally, in Islamabad, on July 21, 2018. WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images

During Pakistan’s general election last year, Imran Khan was dismissed by detractors as a political lightweight and foreign policy novice who relied on populism and deference to the country’s influential military for support.

Now, just over six months into his role as Prime Minister, those claims are being tested as Khan finds his country closer to war with its nuclear-armed neighbor, India, than at any point in the past 20 years.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the US-based Wilson Center, said the crisis will likely give Khan’s popularity a boost.

“In Pakistan there’s nothing like aggression from India to rally the people,” he told CNN. “The fact that Pakistan had India come into the country to stage these airstrikes, it’s an embarrassment for the military. But the entire country will rally round Imran Kahn to support him.”

However, Kugelman said this is a political test for Khan, who formed his own party 23 years ago.

“He certainly is a neophyte, he has no experience as a national leader, he’s been a politician for a number of years but hasn’t been in a position of national power,” he added.

Read more analysis from CNN's Euan McKirdy here.

2:56 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

US President Trump addresses Kashmir, says situation 'coming to an end'

From CNN's Steve George

US President Donald Trump has addressed the crisis in Kashmir during a press conference in Hanoi.

"We have, I think, reasonably attractive news from Pakistan and India," said Trump, alluding to possible US attempts to deescalate the situation.

"They've been going at it, and we've been involved in trying to have them stop. And we have some reasonably decent news, hopefully that's going to be coming to an end," said Trump.

"That's been going on for a long time. Decades and decades. There's a lot of dislike, unfortunately, so we've been in the middle trying to help them both out, and see if we can get some organization and some peace, and I think, uh, probably that's going to be happening."

2:57 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Indian PM makes speech but doesn't mention Pakistan

From CNN's Helen Regan

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "the entire country is one and is standing with our soldiers."

Speaking in a video conference with campaign workers from his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Modi did not talk specifically about Pakistan or the pilot who was shot down and is currently in custody in Pakistan. Instead, the prime minister spoke in general terms about trusting in the "army's capabilities" and working hard for the "prosperity of the country."

"The world is watching our collective will. We trust our army’s capability and because of this, it is extremely necessary that nothing should happen that harms their morale or that our enemies should get a chance to raise a finger against us," he said.

"When our enemy tries to destabilize the country, when terrorists attack – one of their goals is that our progress should stop, our country should stop moving ahead. To stand up against this aim of theirs, each Indian should stand like a wall or a rock. We have to show them that neither will this country stop, nor will the country’s progress slow down."

“India will live as one, India will work as one, India will grow as one, India will fight as one, India will win as one," he said.

2:37 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Pakistan 'at the crossroad of history'

From CNN's Helen Regan

Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said that the country is "at the cross road of history" as tensions between nuclear armed neighbors India and Pakistan become increasingly fraught.

"Leadership of India & Pak need to decide if we want to lead our nations towards peace & prosperity or conflict," he said in a post on his official Twitter account Thursday.

He added that Pakistan "remained committed to peace while resolute in defense of our sovereignty."

3:20 a.m. ET, February 28, 2019

Extreme flight diversions around Pakistan

From CNN's Helen Regan

The closure of Pakistan's airspace has forced many planes to change their flight paths, but these images from flight tracking company Flightradar24 demonstrates the disruption that has caused.

A Turkmenistan Airlines flight from the Indian city of Amritsar to the Turkmenistan capital Ashgabat took six hours to fly what would have normally been a two and a half hour flight, according to Flightradar24.

An Uzbekistan Airways flight from Tashkent was forced to take a similar detour on its way to Amritsar.