Pakistan and India are nearing the completion of a troop drawdown along their shared border, weeks after deadly clashes erupted in the region, according to a top Pakistani military official.

General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Pakistan’s Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that both sides have nearly returned to the pre-April 22 military posture. That date marked a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistani-backed fighters, a charge Islamabad denied.

Following retaliatory strikes and four days of the most intense cross-border fighting in decades—featuring fighter jets, drones, missiles, and artillery—both nations rapidly reinforced their borders. A ceasefire followed, reportedly influenced by U.S.-brokered diplomacy, though India denies third-party mediation.

Escalation Risks and Nuclear Shadows

General Mirza warned that while no nuclear assets were moved during the skirmishes, the risk of strategic miscalculation remains high. “Nothing happened this time, but you can't rule out any miscalculation when the crisis is on,” he said. Notably, the latest conflict spilled beyond Kashmir, with both nations targeting each other’s mainland installations, though neither acknowledged significant damage.

“This is a very dangerous trend,” Mirza cautioned, emphasizing that future conflicts might escalate rapidly and involve broader regions of both countries.

Mirza highlighted the limited communication between the two militaries—restricted to a crisis hotline between military operations directors and a few tactical-level hotlines. He warned that without stronger crisis-management frameworks, “damage and destruction may take place” before the international community can intervene in future conflicts.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has taken a hardline stance, demanding Pakistan hand over "terrorists" if it seeks dialogue. Mirza, meanwhile, emphasized that “issues can only be resolved by dialogue,” adding there are currently no backchannel or informal talks with India.