Britons have been strongly advised against travelling to parts of India and Pakistan as violence between the two nuclear-armed neighbours escalates, leaving at least 19 dead and dozens wounded.
The warning comes after India launched missile strikes into Pakistani-controlled territory in at least six locations, including sites in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab. The strikes, which the Indian Ministry of Defence claims were aimed at militant infrastructure, follow last month’s massacre of tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, which Delhi blames on Pakistan-backed groups. Islamabad has strenuously denied the accusation.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice, urging British nationals to avoid all travel within 10 kilometres of the India-Pakistan border, 10 miles of the Line of Control (the de facto boundary in Kashmir), and the entirety of Pakistan’s Balochistan province.
A statement issued late on Monday night read: “On the night of 6 May (UK Time), the Indian Ministry of Defence stated it had struck nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In response, there are reports of Pakistani artillery fire across the Line of Control.
“Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority has closed the country’s airspace for at least 48 hours. Flights have been diverted and British nationals are advised to contact their airline for up-to-date travel information.”
Scottish First Minister John Swinney and Labour MP Stella Creasy voiced serious concerns over the rapid deterioration of the security situation. Former Foreign Office minister Lord Ahmad warned of the “real potential for war tonight” and called for urgent diplomatic intervention.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the Indian airstrikes, describing them as a “cowardly act of war” and pledged a “robust response”. He added, “Pakistan has every right to defend itself, and we are responding appropriately. The deceitful enemy has carried out cowardly attacks, and we will not be deterred.”
Pakistani military officials claimed the strikes targeted sites previously linked to banned militant organisations. One missile reportedly hit a mosque in Bahawalpur, Punjab, killing 13 people, including a child. A local doctor, Zohaib Ahmed, confirmed the fatalities and injuries from the scene. Additionally, seven civilians were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir by retaliatory Pakistani shelling, the Indian army stated.
British politicians across the spectrum have condemned the violence. Ms Creasy, MP for Walthamstow, said the world “must not stand by” as the situation spirals, stressing the importance of “restraint and dialogue”.
Independent MP Zarah Sultana, formerly of Labour, accused India of violating international law with its “unprovoked strike”, warning that such actions between two nuclear states were “reckless and a grave threat to regional peace”.
Lord Ahmad echoed these sentiments, calling the missile strikes “an alarming escalation” and urging international powers to intervene swiftly to avoid a broader conflict.
More Read
The Indian government has so far maintained that its actions were limited and targeted, with the army stating it responded “in a proportionate manner” to Pakistani aggression. According to Indian sources, seven civilians died and 30 were injured in the Poonch district when Pakistani troops allegedly resorted to indiscriminate shelling and gunfire.
Meanwhile, Pakistani state media reported that the country’s air force shot down five Indian fighter jets. The claim has not yet been verified and India has not issued a response.
Shortly after the initial strikes, debris from aircraft reportedly fell in two villages on the Indian-controlled side of Kashmir, further stoking tensions.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for “maximum military restraint” from both nations. His spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, warned, “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan.”
As the international community watches with mounting alarm, the FCDO continues to monitor the situation closely and urges British nationals in affected areas to follow local guidance and remain vigilant.
