The Pakistani government struck a measured tone after militants killed more than two dozen Indian civilians in Kashmir on Tuesday, insisting that it has no interest in seeing tensions with India escalate.

But across Pakistan, people are watching with growing concern as Indian officials hint at the possibility of military strikes, and the television airwaves have been filled with defense analysts warning of unpredictable consequences if hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors intensify.

The Indian government has not officially identified any group as being behind the attack in a scenic tourist area of Indian-administered Kashmir. But it announced a flurry of punitive measures against Pakistan on Wednesday, including the suspension of a critical water treaty, in answer to what it said was Pakistan’s support of terrorist attacks inside India.

After the Indian announcement, Pakistan said it was scheduling a meeting of the National Security Committee, the country’s highest decision-making forum on security and foreign policy, for Thursday to formulate a response.

The attack in Kashmir, a region both countries claim and have fought wars over, set off a familiar pattern.

The Indian news media, which is largely aligned with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, quickly pointed a finger at Pakistan. Pakistan denied involvement and accused India of trying to deflect attention from security lapses in the restive region.

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