Aayushi Rana 
On 22 April 2025, gunmen attacked tourists in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, killing 26 people (25 Indians and one Nepali) and injuring over a dozen more. In the days that followed, India and Pakistan engaged in brief exchanges of fire along the Kashmir border, heightening tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours
Social media posts and a purported “Pakistani video” have circulated the figure 72 killed, suggesting that Pakistan’s side inflicted severe losses on Indian forces in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack.
The post has been shared by the Minister for Information and Public Relations, Government of Balochistan, Pakistan, Jan Achakzai.
Fact Check
Upon investigation, we found the claim to be false. We reviewed reports from reputable media outlets such as Reuters, India Today, and the Associated Press, and found no evidence supporting the claim of heavy Indian Army casualties. No credible source has reported any losses of Indian soldiers in the recent incidents.
According to the Associated Press, Pakistani soldiers fired at Indian positions along the heavily militarized Line of Control in Kashmir for a second consecutive night, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations escalated following the deadly attack on tourists. However, there was no mention of any casualties on the Indian side.
Additionally, after cross-checking the official accounts and statements from the Indian Army, we found no reports confirming any soldier fatalities due to the recent LoC (Line of Control) firings.
Conclusion
Based on available information from credible sources, there is no evidence to support the claim that 72 Indian Army soldiers were killed in a border clash following the Pahalgam terror attack. The Indian Army has not reported such casualties, and no reputable news organization has corroborated this claim.
DFRAC Analysis: Fake
