New Delhi: Pakistan has vowed revenge for the precision missile attacks by India on at least nine targets – primarily terrorist bases – in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as well as Pakistan. However, it has maintained that the Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets that fired the air-to-surface missiles did not violate Pakistani airspace.
“Some time ago from now, the cowardly enemy India launched air strikes on Subhanullah mosque in Bahwalpur’s Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air. All of our air force jets are airborne. This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They were never allowed to come and intrude into the space of Pakistan,” DG of Pakistan’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said.
While Pakistan has claimed that only a few people have been killed or injured in the air strikes, sources in India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) have said that at least 80 terrorists have been neutralised in the attacks on specific targets. The Dawn has reported that there was a complete blackout in Muzaffarabad after the missiles landed.
The MoD indicated that Op Sindoor – as the operation is being called – has brought closure to the matter involving the killings of 26 persons, mostly tourists from across the country, in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22. Investigations have revealed that the terror strike was masterminded in Pakistan. At least two of the terrorists directly involved in the massacre were also Pakistanis.
Pakistan, however, refuted the charges, resulting in a diplomatic and military stand-off between the two countries.
“A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed. Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the MoD posted.
The Indian Army has posted: “Justice is Served. Jai Hind!”
These statements clearly indicate that India has no plans to escalate the situation further. Pakistan, however, said that it will retaliate. “Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing,” Lt Gen Chaudhry has said.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that a clash with India is now “inevitable” and could occur “at any moment.”
Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given, adding that their nation stood with its armed forces.
