Pakistan Returns Captured Indian Border Guard Following Kashmir Clashes

NEW DELHI, 14 May 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Pakistan on Wednesday returned a captured Indian border guard, signalling a tentative step towards de-escalation following a recent flare-up of violence in the disputed Kashmir region.

The guard, identified as Purnam Kumar Shaw, had been held by Pakistan Rangers since 23 April, a day after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir left 26 people dead and triggered a series of cross-border missile, drone, and fighter jet strikes between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

No group has claimed responsibility for the 22 April attack, but India has accused Pakistan of supporting the perpetrators – a charge Islamabad has strongly denied, instead calling for an independent investigation.

India’s Border Security Force (BSF) confirmed the guard’s release in a statement, saying the handover was “conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols.”

Shaw’s wife, Rajani, who is currently pregnant, expressed her relief after the handover. “I had lost all hope,” she told local media. “But after the ceasefire, I became a bit positive, and I have full faith in God that my husband will return safely.”

Ceasefire and Civilian Toll

The return of the captured soldier follows a fragile ceasefire that has held since the weekend, despite both sides exchanging accusations over initial violations.

On Tuesday, Pakistan’s military issued a new death toll, claiming that 40 of its civilians – including seven women and 15 children – and 11 military personnel had been killed in what it described as “unprovoked and reprehensible” Indian attacks.

India, for its part, has reported the deaths of 15 civilians and five soldiers.

Rising Tensions and Political Rhetoric

The recent clashes represent the worst escalation since the two countries’ last direct conflict in 1999, raising concerns internationally about the risk of a broader war.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation on Monday, vowed a firm response to any future attacks, accusing Pakistan of choosing aggression over cooperation in combating terrorism. “If another terrorist attack against India is carried out, a strong response will be given,” he declared.

On Tuesday, Modi also praised Indian soldiers involved in the recent clashes, describing them as “courageous, determined, and fearless.”

In response, Pakistan’s foreign ministry issued a sharp rebuke, rejecting what it called Modi’s “provocative and inflammatory assertions” and his “propensity to fabricate misleading narratives to justify aggression.”

The ministry warned that it would “closely monitor India’s actions and behaviour in this regard in the coming days” and urged the international community to do the same.

Long-Standing Dispute Over Kashmir

Tensions in the Kashmir region have remained high since 2019, when India revoked the limited autonomy of its portion of the Muslim-majority territory, imposing direct rule from New Delhi.

Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir in its entirety, and the region has been a flashpoint for several wars between the two countries since their independence from British rule in 1947.