KASHMIRI separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged the authorities not to punish innocent families today after Indian security forces began destroying homes in the occupied region following a terrorist attack last week.

Since militant group Kashmir Resistance killed 26 people, most of them Indian tourists, in Pahalgam last week, tensions between India and Pakistan have skyrocketed.

In a statement posted on social media, Mr Farooq, chairman of the Kashmiri independence alliance All Parties Hurriyat Conference, said: “While Kashmiris collectively condemn the heinous crime at Pahalgam — and it is imperative to bring its perpetrators to justice — indiscriminate arrests and videos circulating on social media of demolition of houses and neighbourhoods, is disturbing and distressing.

“I urge the authorities, that in seeking justice for the innocent victims, not to punish innocent Kashmiri families.”

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti argued that the government of far-right Indian Prime Minister Nerendra Modi must “carefully distinguish between terrorists and civilians” and must not “alienate innocent people, especially those opposing terror.”

She said: “There are reports of thousands being arrested and scores of houses of common Kashmiris being demolished along with those of militants.”

Mr Modi’s government has accused Pakistan of backing the attack. The government has suspended a water-sharing treaty and closed the only operational land border crossing. Today, it also revoked visas issued to Pakistanis.

Islamabad denies backing the terrorist attack and has retaliated against India’s actions by also cancelling visas, closing its airspace to Indian airlines and suspending trade with its neighbour.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed on Saturday that his government would respond “with full force and might” to Indian attempts to stop or divert the flow of water to Kashmir.

Both sides’ armies have also shot at each other along the Line of Control, which separates Indian’s part of Kashmir from Pakistan’s. So far, there have been no reports of troops being killed or injured.

The nuclear-armed neighbours have fought two of their three wars over the control of Kashmir, which is claimed by both in its entirety. The region is split between them and China.