<\/p>\n
It took US intervention for both sides to finally drop their guns.<\/p>\n
Drones, Rafales, JF-17s, and scathing rebukes \u2014 India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states, witnessed one of their biggest escalations last week. While the neighbours are not new to conflict, this time, the breakdown in their relations was different, given the frequency and intensity of the aggression.<\/p>\n
It began with the horrific killing of 26 tourists<\/a> at a hill station in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. India blamed<\/a> Pakistan for the attack, an accusation the latter denies. Islamabad has since called for an international independent probe into the massacre.<\/p>\n However, on the night of May 6-7, New Delhi took things a step forward and launched a series of air strikes on Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Both sides then exchanged missiles<\/a>, which stretched over the week. It took American intervention for both sides to finally drop their guns.<\/p>\n On Saturday, when tensions between the two countries peaked, US President Donald Trump announced<\/a> that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan.<\/p>\n However, as a Dawn<\/em> editorial<\/a> puts it, \u201cWhile foreign friends can certainly help create a conducive atmosphere, it is Islamabad and New Delhi that will have to do the heavy lifting themselves to secure peace.\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a timeline of how the latest conflict unfolded:<\/p>\n April 22:<\/strong> Gunmen shot and killed at least 26 tourists at Pahalgam<\/a> resort in Indian-held Kashmir. At least 17 others are wounded. A group called Kashmir Resistance, which India accuses Pakistan of backing, claims the attack.<\/p>\n April 23:<\/strong> Pakistan\u2019s foreign office released a statement expressing concern at the loss of tourists\u2019 lives in the attack.<\/p>\n