ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad police on Saturday issued a traffic advisory ahead of an event marking the first anniversary of Pakistan’s four-day military standoff with India, warning commuters of possible road closures, heightened security and delays in parts of the federal capital on Sunday.
The conflict erupted after India blamed Pakistan-based militants for an April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, most of them tourists. Pakistan denied involvement and called for a credible, international investigation.
Tensions escalated rapidly after India launched cross-border strikes under “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, saying it had targeted militant infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan said civilian areas were hit and responded days later with “Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos,” targeting Indian military installations.
The fighting, involving missiles, drones, artillery exchanges and air operations, was the most serious confrontation between the nuclear-armed neighbors in decades before a US-backed ceasefire was announced on May 10, 2025, with Islamabad claiming victory in the standoff after having shot down at least six Indian fighter aircraft, including the French-made Rafale.
New Delhi acknowledged some losses but did not specify a number.
“Islamabad Traffic Police, has issued a comprehensive Traffic Advisory for 10 May 2026 regarding the “Battle of Truth” event. Temporary traffic diversions will remain in place from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM on various routes across the city,” Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon said on X.
“Citizens are requested to plan their travel accordingly, use alternative routes, avoid unnecessary movement during peak hours, and cooperate with traffic officials to ensure smooth traffic flow and public convenience.”
Top civilian and military leaders are expected to attend a ceremony at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad to mark the event, Pakistani media reported, citing sources.
Separately, the Islamabad police shared a detailed traffic plan for Sunday.
Pakistan and India have remained bitter rivals since gaining independence from British rule in 1947 and have fought multiple wars, two of them over the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim in full but control in part. Both countries continue to maintain competing narratives over the outcome and military impact of the May 2025 confrontation, which triggered international concern because both countries possess nuclear weapons.
In the days that followed the Pahalgam attack, the two neighbors sharply downgraded ties, suspended visas, restricted airspace access and intensified military activity along the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir between them. India also announced it was suspending participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a landmark 1960 World Bank-brokered water-sharing agreement that governs the use of rivers flowing between the two countries.
