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Pakistan decries ‘act of war’ as it retaliates against India missile attack Pakistan decries ‘act of war’ as it retaliates against India missile attack
(about 4 hours later)
India claimed strikes, which followed attack on Hindu tourists in Kashmir last month, targeted ‘terrorist infrastructure’India claimed strikes, which followed attack on Hindu tourists in Kashmir last month, targeted ‘terrorist infrastructure’
At least eight people, including a child, have been killed and 35 injured after India launched attacks on what it claimed were nine sites of “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan, in a sharp escalation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. At least 26 people, including several children, have been killed and 46 injured after India launched attacks on what it claimed were nine sites of “terrorist infrastructure” inside Pakistan, in a sharp escalation of hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan declared the strikes to be an “act of war” and claimed it had shot down five Indian air force jets. “Pakistan gives a befitting reply to India,” said the Pakistan government in a statement. Pakistan declared the strikes to be an “act of war” and claimed it had shot down five Indian air force jets and a drone. “Pakistan gives a befitting reply to India,” said the Pakistan government in a statement.
India had accused Pakistan of involvement in an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month which killed 26 people. “We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” said the Indian defence ministry. India had accused Pakistan of involvement in an attack targeting Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir last month that killed 26 people. “We are living up to the commitment that those responsible for this attack will be held accountable,” said the Indian defence ministry.
One Indian missile strike hit a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, where a child was killed and a woman and man were injured. Other locations hit were near Muridke in Punjab and Kotli in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. One Indian missile strike hit a mosque in the city of Bahawalpur in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, killing 13 people, including two three-year-old girls. Other locations hit were near Muridke in Punjab and Kotli in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, where a strike on a mosque left several people, including a 16-year-old girl, dead.
Loud explosions were heard early on Wednesday, and power was knocked out in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, witnesses said. In a press conference held by the Indian army on Wednesday morning, it claimed the overnight strikes had targeted “terrorist training camps” and “terrorists likely to be sent across to India”, mostly associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Islamist militant group.
On the Indian side of the Kashmir border, residents in the Kupwara district of Indian-administered Kashmir reported exchanges of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops on the line of control. The Indian army said that three civilians had died and five had been injured in the cross-border shelling. Speaking at the press conference, Col Sudhir Chamoli alleged that Indian intelligence had uncovered evidence that “further attacks against India were impending” and said there was a compulsion for India “both to deter and pre-empt”.
“These actions were measured, not escalatory, proportionate and responsible,” Chamoli said of the Indian strikes.
However, Pakistan denied that any of the sites hit by missiles had been associated with terrorist infrastructure, calling the allegations “unsubstantiated and unreasonable”, and said six civilian areas had been targeted.
Pakistan said the strikes had been carried out from the Indian side of the border. “At no time, any of their aircraft were allowed to enter into Pakistan’s airspace and also at no time, none of Pakistan’s aircraft went into Indian airspace,” said Gen Ahmed Chaudhry, the director general of Pakistan’s inter-services public relations, the media wing of the military.
He said the Indian jets had been shot down by the Pakistan air force “when they attacked Pakistan, only after they released their weapons”.
Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, vowed to retaliate. “Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given,” he said.Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, vowed to retaliate. “Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully to this act of war imposed by India, and a forceful response is being given,” he said.
“The Pakistani nation and the Pakistan armed forces know very well how to deal with the enemy,” he said. “We will never let the enemy succeed in its nefarious objectives.” He was to hold a meeting of the national security committee on Wednesday morning. “The Pakistani nation and the Pakistan armed forces know very well how to deal with the enemy,” he said. “We will never let the enemy succeed in its nefarious objectives.” The government held a meeting of the national security committee on Wednesday morning.
A statement by the Indian army said they had targeted “terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed”. The missile attacks were reported at about 1am local time. Pictures shared on social media showed the bloody body of a dead child and a seriously injured adult lying on stretchers. In a video shared widely on X, a huge blast can be seen lighting up the night sky as smoke billows into the air.
“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,” it said. Residents in the Kupwara district of Indian-administered Kashmir reported exchanges of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops on the line of control. The Indian army said that at least seven civilians had died and five had been injured in the cross-border shelling. On the Pakistan side, they said five civilians, including a five-year-old, had been killed.
However Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Asif, denied that any of the targets hit by Indian missiles were military installations and told the Guardian that at least six civilian areas had been targeted. “We are in the process of retaliating. You will see Pakistan’s response before the morning,” he said. According to reports, at least three Indian air force planes were brought down over Indian-administered Kashmir. In the village of Wuyan, in Pampore area, Adnan Ahmad, 25, reported hearing a loud crash at about 1.40am.
The missile attacks were reported around 1am local time. Pictures shared on social media showed the bloody body of a dead child and a seriously injured adult lying on stretchers. In a video widely shared on X a huge blast can be seen lighting up the night sky as smoke billows into the air. “When I rushed to window I saw a an aircraft in flames falling down,” he said. “There was another aircraft moving above the falling aircraft. The aircraft landed near a school building hitting trees. I rushed to the the crash spot along with other neighbours. There were multiple explosions from the fallen wreckage for around an hour.”
Soon after the strikes, India accused Pakistan of violating the ceasefire agreement with artillery fire across the heavily militarised “line of control”, which marks the de facto border in Kashmir. There was no immediate comment from India on the reports of the downed military aircraft. Locals reported that pieces of the aircraft were scattered throughout the village and there was a strong smell of jet fuel in the area.
“We are hearing constant loud bangs and some shells have landed near civilian areas,” Haji Sanaullah, who lives in the Kupwara district of Indian-administered Kashmir, told the Guardian. A Pakistani military spokesperson confirmed to Reuters that exchanges of fire had taken place at multiple locations on the line of control. On Wednesday morning, police and authorities blocked access to the main location of crash as they cleared the wreckage. Sources said the pilot of the aircraft had ejected safely and was receiving treatment at a nearby army hospital.
Pakistan’s foreign affairs ministry said Indian forces had launched the strikes while staying in Indian airspace. It said the attack posed a significant threat to commercial air traffic. The strikes, carried out as part of “Operation Sindhoor”, were met with a chorus of approval across political lines in India. “The world must show zero tolerance for terrorism,” said India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, while the defence minister, Rajnath Singh, wrote on X: “Victory to Mother India”. Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the opposition Congress party, said India was “extremely proud of our Indian armed forces … We applaud their resolute resolve and courage”.
“This reckless escalation has brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict,” the statement said. Several major airlines said they were suspending flights to Pakistan and over swathes of northern India until midday local time on Wednesday. Several major airlines said they were suspending flights to Pakistan and over swathes of northern India until midday local time on Wednesday.
The strikes came just hours after India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said that water flowing across India’s borders would be stopped. Pakistan has warned that tampering with the rivers flowing into its territory would be an “act of war”. The strikes came hours after India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, said that water flowing across India’s borders would be stopped. Pakistan has warned that tampering with the rivers flowing into its territory would be an “act of war”.
Modi did not mention Islamabad specifically, but his speech came after Delhi suspended its part of the 65-year-old Indus waters treaty, which governs water critical to Pakistan for consumption and agriculture.Modi did not mention Islamabad specifically, but his speech came after Delhi suspended its part of the 65-year-old Indus waters treaty, which governs water critical to Pakistan for consumption and agriculture.
“India’s water used to go outside, now it will flow for India,” Modi said in a speech in Delhi.“India’s water used to go outside, now it will flow for India,” Modi said in a speech in Delhi.
The escalation comes amid soaring tensions between the neighbours in the aftermath of the attack in the Baisaran Valley, a picturesque meadow in Pahalgam, a well-known tourist town in Kashmir.The escalation comes amid soaring tensions between the neighbours in the aftermath of the attack in the Baisaran Valley, a picturesque meadow in Pahalgam, a well-known tourist town in Kashmir.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack but Pakistan rejected the accusations. The two sides have exchanged nightly gunfire since 24 April along the line of control.India blamed Pakistan for the attack but Pakistan rejected the accusations. The two sides have exchanged nightly gunfire since 24 April along the line of control.
Wednesday’s missile strikes are a dangerous heightening of friction between the south Asian neighbours, who have fought multiple wars since they were carved out of British colonial India in 1947. Wednesday’s missile strikes are a dangerous heightening of tension between the south Asian neighbours, who have fought multiple wars since they were carved out of British colonial India in 1947.
For days the international community has piled pressure on Pakistan and India to step back from the brink of war. For days, the international community has piled pressure on Pakistan and India to step back from the brink of war. A UN spokesperson said that António Guterres, the UN secretary general, was “very concerned” about the Indian strikes across the international border and the line of control.
A UN spokesperson said that António Guterres, the UN secretary general, was “very concerned” about the Indian strikes across the international border and the line of control.
“He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.“He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the spokesperson said.