India-Pakistan: Authorities in Pakistani Kashmir Urge Residents to Stock Food "for Two Months"

On Friday, May 2, authorities in Pakistani Kashmir called on residents to stockpile food "for two months" and announced measures to strengthen supplies to villages along the de facto border with the Indian-controlled part of the region amid escalating tensions between the two neighbors.

These announcements come as the Indian army reported cross-border fire for the eighth consecutive night between the armed forces of the two nuclear powers along the Line of Control (LoC), which divides the disputed region over a distance of 770 km.

"Instructions have been given" for residents to stock up on food "for two months across the 13 districts," announced the Prime Minister of Pakistani Kashmir, Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq.

The government is releasing an emergency fund

The regional government has also allocated an emergency fund of one billion rupees, equivalent to over three million euros, to ensure the supply of "food, medicines, and other essential goods" to these areas, he continued, addressing the local parliament.

He added that state and private company machinery had been deployed "to maintain the roads" along the LoC.

A deadly attack rekindles tensions

An attack that killed 26 civilians on April 22 in Indian Kashmir has raised fears of an escalation between the traditionally rival countries, which arose in 1947 from a painful partition following the departure of the British colonizer.

New Delhi holds Islamabad responsible for this unclaimed attack. Pakistan denies any involvement.

Indian response and preventive measures

On Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved a military "response." Since then, Pakistan claims to have "credible information" about an imminent Indian strike.

Anticipating military actions, Pakistani Kashmir has closed its 1,100 Quranic schools for ten days. In the 6,000 public schools that remain open, local authorities recently initiated first-aid training.