NEW DELHI/MUZAFFARABAD – India has delivered a stark message to the United States demanding justice for the perpetrators behind last week's horrific terrorist massacre in Kashmir, as Pakistan’s military leadership issues chilling threats of escalation, pushing the nuclear-armed rivals closer to the brink. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is urgently engaging with both nations, desperately seeking to defuse the volatile situation.

In the wake of the brutal April 22 attack in Pahalgam where Islamist assailants singled out and murdered 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar minced no words in his call with Secretary Rubio. Jaishankar insisted that the "perpetrators, backers, and planners" of the cold-blooded killings "must be brought to justice," according to his post on X. The demand underscores India's resolve following the attack, where survivors recounted terrorists segregating victims by name before shooting Hindus at close range. India has identified two Pakistani nationals among the three attackers it labelled "terrorists."

The US, while urging de-escalation, publicly backed India's fight against extremism and pointedly called on Pakistan to cooperate in probing the deadly assault – a call Islamabad has yet to demonstrably heed. Instead of cooperation, Pakistan's response has been a mix of deflection and military threats. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the US to pressure Indiato "dial down the rhetoric," while Army Chief General Asim Munir issued a menacing warning against any perceived Indian military action.

"Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response," Munir declared, striking a belligerent tone while witnessing military exercises in Pakistani Kashmir. This sabre-rattling comes even as Islamabad denies any role in the massacre, calling instead for a "neutral" investigation despite India identifying Pakistani nationals involved.

Adding to the tension, Pakistan claims to have "credible intelligence" that India plans imminent military action, leading authorities in Pakistani Kashmir to shut down seminaries in apparent fear of Indian retaliation. This follows reports that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has granted his military chiefs the freedom to determine India's response to the attack.

The situation remains perilous. With India demanding accountability for the massacre and Pakistan responding with threats rather than cooperation, the burden appears to fall heavily on Islamabad to act against the terror elements operating from its soil, which India has long accused it of backing. As the US continues its diplomatic efforts, the world watches nervously, hoping to avoid another conflict between these nuclear-armed neighbors over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.