Analysts have weighed in on the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India — two nuclear-armed neighbours — following New Delhi’s incursion into Islamabad’s territory and its forceful retaliation to the aggression.

In a befitting response, the Pakistan armed forces shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, a combat drone, and destroyed brigade headquarters, as well as a number of checkposts, after New Delhi carried out missile strikes in cities of Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

An intense exchange of fire is ongoing along the de facto border, with the Pakistan Army engaging Indian troops’ positions.

In his press conference on Wednesday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that all Pakistan Air Force jets are safe after engaging Indian jets.

New Delhi’s this act of war has come after its repeatedly blaming Islamabad for the Pahalgam attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir last month, without providing even a shred of evidence.

The India’s aggression has left people wondering if its this jingoism of war will die down soon or lead to more casualties on both sides of the border.

‘Madness’

Former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri said the two sides should realise that they are nuclear-armed countries. “So, only someone out of his mind can think about war between them,” he added.

“Sadly, the Indian government features such people who think less from mind and more from obsession,” he maintained.

Kasuri pointed out that their lunacy has not just affected Muslims, but other minorities such as Christians, Sikhs and lower caste Hindus as well.

“This leadership has only spread madness in the neighbouring country,” he said.

The former foreign minister also said that downing of Indian fighter jets, particularly Rafales, is a big setback to India.

‘Lack of intelligence’

In a statement on Pakistan’s downing five Indian fighter jets, CNN Military Analyst Colonel Cedric Leighton USAF (retd) said Indian intelligence preparations for this campaign may have been lacking.

“They did not project what kind of threat they were going to deal with and where the Pakistani systems were located and how the Pakistanis were going to employ them. Those are the things that might have resulted in something like this,” he said.

Indian media’s rare acknowledgement

Urging both the countries to not adopt the path of aggression, senior anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada said India targeted unarmed civilians in Pakistan, including children and women.

On the other side, he said, the Indian media admitted, which it normally does not do in such a situation, that Pakistan has downed their three aircrafts.

If Indian media is acknowledging about shooting down of their three jets then there is highly possibly more loss suffered by Indian Air Force than that, he added.

Diplomatic support

News analyst Mehmal Sarfraz said no evidence about the Pahalgam attack has been provided by India against Pakistan as yet due to which it could not secure international support in its unfounded claims.

“India could not receive international diplomatic support. Which is also demonstrated through the Indian foreign minister’s frustration at it, who in a recent statement said to Europe that he did not expect India’s partners to preach it like this. Even, the US did not as such point finger towards Pakistan [on this issue],” she said.

Mehmal said what India has done by attacking major cities is an act of war. Pakistan’s strong and immediate retaliation has softened, the otherwise loud and pompous, Indian media’s tone as well, she said.

‘No evidence’

Senior anchorperson Shahzad Iqbal also said India failed to secure diplomatic support internationally for failing to provide evidence regarding Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Pahalgam attack.

“Scores of diplomats who talked to the New York Times, Bloomberg or other international organisations told that India tried to make a basis to blame Pakistan by narrating stories of the past, but failed to provide any concrete evidence for the fresh attack,” he said.

India has crossed international border now. Hence, either we have to stop such aggression through a response or by raising this issue at the UN but this has to stop, at any cost, he said.

Avoid aggression

Senior journalist Mazhar Abbas suggested to avoid further aggression after striking down Indian jets.

“India has to sell the narrative of extremism in their society. But we have to see whether we should give response any further and become an aggressor, which I think we should not,” he said.

Abbas said the restraint that we have shown so far has multiplied our good will internationally.

However, it is clear that India will not back down after this humiliation that it faced internationally, he added.