Pakistan shares intel with India, US on possible terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama

Pakistan has reported to have shared with India information regarding the threat of a possible attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district putting authorities in a tizzy. According to an Indian Express report, the alert warns against a possible attack by terrorists using an improvised explosive device mounted on a vehicle somewhere near Awantipora.

A security official said the information had also been shared with the US, adding that it would be a revenge attack after the killing of Zakir Musa in an operation in Tral last month. Musa launched and headed an al-Qaeda affiliate called Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind in Kashmir after breaking away from the Hizbul Mujahideen in May 2017, the report said.

This intel comes days after PM Narendra Modi snubbed his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the SCO summit. China had also offered support for Pakistan and India to improve their strained relations on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

The relation between Indian and Pakistan strained after 40 CRFP personnel were killed on February 14 on the highway at Lethpora in Pulwama district. India then launched the Balakot iarstrikes on February 26 with Pakistan retaliating the following day. The Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was held captive by Pakistan. This made China give its assent to blacklist Masood Azhar, chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was responsible for the February 14 attack, after pressure from the international community.

The security official admitted that India had received the input. However, whether it was Pakistan’s move to make sure they can avoid blame if an attack takes place or a genuine effort to alert the authorities that is for us to wait and watch, according to reports.