Erdogan calls for calm as Pakistan-India tensions escalate after Pahalgam incident

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Erdogan called for eased tensions between Pakistan and India following the recent Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

According to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, President Erdogan appealed for restraint, calling for a reduction in rising tensions between the two South Asian neighbors.

Speaking to the media after a Turkish cabinet meeting, Erdogan noted that Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s recent visit to Turkey came at a critical time, against the backdrop of the latest regional developments.

"We specifically discussed multilateral cooperation in trade and the defense industry and reiterated our full support for the people of Pakistan," Erdogan stated. "We want the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India to be de-escalated as soon as possible, before they evolve into a more serious situation," he added.

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Meanwhile, in response to Indian media claims that Turkey had supplied weapons to Pakistan through six aircraft, Turkiye’s Directorate of Communications issued a clarification on X. It stated that the Turkish government had not sent any weapons to Pakistan and that a transport plane had landed in Pakistan only for refueling before continuing on its scheduled route.

In a related development, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that the country's military presence along the border has been bolstered amid fears of a possible Indian attack.

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Speaking to a British news agency, Asif said, "There is a possibility of an Indian attack following the false flag operation in Pahalgam. In view of this threat, we have strengthened our military deployment on the border."

He further emphasised that Pakistan would only consider the use of nuclear weapons if there were a direct threat to the country’s existence. "Given the situation, some strategic decisions have been made. India's aggressive rhetoric is increasing, and our military has alerted the government about the possibility of an Indian offensive," he added.