India "thickened" its operational posture along the Line of Control as the atmosphere between the two nuclear-armed neighbours remained tense, while Pakistani fighter jets flew over Islamabad last night, according to a Pakistani journalist.
Last Sunday's attack on the army base in Uri has led to a deterioration of the relationship between the two countries, further aggravated by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's tirade against New Delhi at the General Debate of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday night. Sharif called slain militant Burhan Wani a "young leader" and accused India of brutalities in Kashmir.
India's First Secretary Eenam Gambhir, in her Right of Reply, in turn called Pakistan the host to an Ivy League of terrorism.
Last night, senior Pakistani journalist and author Hamid Mir tweeted that F16 fighter jets were flying over Islamabad. Several residents of the Pakistani capital city responded to Mir's tweet affirming that they heard the planes too.
The Times of India reported that the Indian army upgraded its "operational readiness" along the LoC.
The Army, along with national security adviser Ajit Doval, have had detailed discussions on the troop readiness along the LoC, the report said.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) on Wednesday had cancelled several flights after the Civil Aviation Authority closed airspace over the country's northern areas, Dawn reported. Another report in the paper said that despite officials in Islamabad downplaying the closure of airspace as a planned activity, it sparked rumours that the Pakistani army was preparing its forces in case of an Indian attack.
Continuing his bluster, Sharif told Pakistani journalists that India blamed Pakistan for the attack on army camp in Uri within a few hours of the incident and claimed that questions are being raised on New Delhi's "haste". "Investigation into such incidents requires many days and weeks," Sharif told Geo TV.
He also claimed that India had never provided any evidence to prove its accusations.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to citizens not to panic and said all precautions are being taken after a high alert was sounded along the Mumbai coast and adjoining areas today after a group of men were spotted moving suspiciously near a naval base at Uran in Raigad district.
(With PTI inputs)