Indian fighter jets patrolling above occupied Kashmir were forced to flee after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) scrambled its jets, state media reported on Wednesday, adding to tensions between the two countries in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. PTV News and Radio Pakistan, citing security sources, said that four Rafale fighter jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were spotted conducting “patrolling overnight” in occupied Kashmir without crossing the Line of Control. “PAF jets promptly detected the presence of these Indian warplanes,” Radio Pakistan added. “As a result of PAF’s diligent action, the Indian Rafale jets panicked and were forced to flee,” PTV News reported. The security sources also reaffirmed that the armed forces were “fully prepared and vigilant to give a befitting response to any aggression from India”. The development comes after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar earlier in the day said “credible intelligence” reports indicated that India was planning to conduct a military action against Pakistan in the “next 24 to 36 hours”. In a televised statement issued shortly after 2am, Tarar said: “Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to carry out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident.” Tarar said Pakistan vehemently rejected “Indian self-assumed hubristic role of judge, jury and executioner in the region” and it was completely “reckless”. “Pakistan has been the victim of terrorism itself and truly understands the pain of this scourge,” the minister said, adding: “We have always condemned it in all its forms and manifestations anywhere in the world.” Being a responsible state, Tarar noted, Pakistan “openheartedly offered a credible, transparent and independent investigation” by a neutral commission of experts to ascertain the truth. “Unfortunately, rather than pursuing the path of reason, India has apparently decided to tread the dangerous path of irrationality and confrontation, which will have catastrophic consequences for the complete region and beyond,” he stressed. The information minister said the “evasion of credible investigations is in itself sufficient evidence exposing India’s real motives”.