In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Pakistan’s military on Wednesday announced it had shot down five Indian fighter jets and a combat drone in response to overnight Indian airstrikes that claimed the lives of 26 civilians and injured 46 others across multiple civilian areas in the country.
During a press briefing, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, DG ISPR, confirmed India executed 24 aggressive air raids targeting six locations within Pakistani territory, including Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East, Muzaffarabad, and Kotli. The attacks, labeled as “unprovoked acts of war”, struck mosques and residential areas under the cover of night.
Tragically, 13 people were martyred in Ahmedpur East, among them two toddlers, seven women, and four men. In Muzaffarabad, a strike on Bilal Mosque resulted in three deaths and injuries to two children. In Kotli, an attack on Abbas Mosque led to the deaths of two teenagers.
In a swift but measured counterstrike, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) engaged and neutralized three Rafale jets, one MiG-29, one SU-series aircraft, and an Israeli Heron drone, bringing down the aircraft over Bhatinda, Jammu, Akhnoor, Srinagar, and Avantipur.
“The response was defensive, proportional, and strictly within Pakistani airspace,” Lt Gen Chaudhry stressed, noting that while the armed forces had the capacity to down many more aircraft, restraint was exercised deliberately to avoid further escalation.
He also revealed India had attacked critical infrastructure, including Nauseri Dam, part of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. This move, he said, was a “dangerous provocation” that violated international humanitarian law.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, 57 international flights were airborne in Pakistani airspace during the Indian assault. Officials called this act reckless endangerment of civil aviation.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari denounced the strikes as “fascist aggression”, warning that Pakistan would not tolerate such transgressions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed this sentiment, branding the attacks as “cowardly” and promising a “decisive response”.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), local leaders condemned the strikes on Muzaffarabad and Kotli, where further civilian casualties were reported. Visual evidence, officials asserted, confirmed that only non-combatants were targeted, debunking Indian claims of hitting military sites.
India’s Ministry of Defence acknowledged the air raids, claiming to have hit nine sites, but provided no further details. In the aftermath, Islamabad International Airport was placed on red alert, and airspace in the region was temporarily sealed.
DG ISPR concluded the briefing with a stern warning: “This act of aggression will be met with a response at a time and place of Pakistan’s choosing.” Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif cautioned that a direct military clash with India now appeared inevitable, given the rising stakes and volatile atmosphere.
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PRESS UPDATE