Pakistan’s top security body on Wednesday said the armed forces have been duly authorised to undertake retaliation “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of lives in the Indian military strikes.
Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the missile strikes launched shortly after midnight on cities in the Punjab province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar’s 10 family members and four close aides were killed in the attack on the outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur.
A hurriedly called National Security Council meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all services chiefs and senior officers, described the strikes as “unprovoked” and an “unlawful act of war”.
An NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in the Indian strikes.
“The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard,” the statement said.
Addressing a session of the Parliament later, Prime Minister Shehbaz claimed that the Pakistan armed forces destroyed five Indian jets. He, however, did not provide any evidence in support of his claim.
He lauded the Pakistan Air Force and its chief “for the swift response”, saying that the armed forces had prior intelligence about India’s plans.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif earlier said Pakistan is ready to “wrap up” tensions with India if New Delhi de-escalates the situation.
“We have been saying all along in the last fortnight that we’ll never initiate anything hostile towards India. But if we’re attacked, we’ll respond. If India backs down, we will definitely wrap up this tension,” he was quoted as saying by Bloomberg Television.
The Pakistan Army spokesman said six locations were attacked by India.
He said that 13 people were killed and 37 others injured in Bahwalpur’s Ahmedpur East, where the Subhan Allah mosque was attacked. In Muridke, three men were killed and one was injured.
In Muzaffarabad, three persons were killed and two injured in the attack on the Bilal mosque. In the strike at Kotli, two youths were killed, while two persons were injured.
The army spokesperson also said that five civilians were killed in cross LoC firing by India.
JeM chief Azhar acknowledged that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in the missile attack on the outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur.
In Muridke, some 40 kms from Lahore, the army personnel and members of the banned Jamaat-ud-Dawah of Hafiz Saeed attended the funeral of three persons, believed to be the members of the JuD, killed in the strikes on the terror group’s headquarters.
Pakistan announced a 48-hour closure of its airspace for all air traffic after the strike. However, aviation authorities reopened the airspace after an eight-hour closure.
Prime Minister Sharif earlier termed the Indian missile strikes as an “act of war” and said his country has every right to give a “befitting reply.”
“At no point Indian aircraft was allowed to enter Pakistan and no Pakistani aircraft entered India. All PAF assets are safe,” he said.
He claimed that India also targeted the Neelum Jhelum project by attacking a water storage dam, which he termed a dangerous sign.
In its statement, the NSC called upon the international community to recognise “the gravity of India’s unprovoked illegal actions” and to hold it accountable for its blatant violations of international norms and laws.
Meanwhile, at least 12 people, including four children, were killed and 57 others injured as the Pakistan Army resorted to heavy artillery and mortar shelling on forward villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.
The intense shelling from across the border started shortly after Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam that had left 26 civilians dead.
The worst-hit in the Pakistani shelling was Poonch district which accounted for all the civilian deaths, the officials said, adding 42 people were also injured and the condition of some of them was stated to be serious.
The indiscriminate shelling by Pakistan created panic among the border residents who were forced to take refuge in underground bunkers or shift to safer places within or outside their villages, the officials said.
The shelling was reported from all along the LoC in Poonch, including Balakote, Mendhar, Mankote, Krishna Ghati, Gulpur, Kerni and even Poonch district headquarters, resulting in damage to dozens of houses and vehicles, they said.
The officials identified the deceased as Balvinder Kour alias “Ruby” (33), Mohd Zain Khan (10), his elder sister Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40), Amarjeet Singh (47), Maryam Khatoon (7), Vihaan Bhargav (13) and Mohd Rafi (40).
Ten persons, including five minor children were also injured in cross-border shelling in Uri sector of Baramulla district, while three others were injured in Rajouri district, the officials said, adding several houses also caught fire due to shelling in Karnah sector of Kupwara district.
The shelling from across the border was intense till noon and later continued intermittently, mostly restricting to Poonch sector.
Locals faced a tough time in evacuating the victims to hospital in view of the heavy shelling which also hit Poonch bus stand, damaging several vehicles, the officials said.
Earlier, a defence spokesman said during the intervening night of May 6 and 7, the Pakistan Army resorted to arbitrary firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the LoC and International Border opposite Jammu and Kashmir.
Army sources said Indian troops caused many casualties to the enemy forces after destroying several of their posts in the retaliatory action.
Authorities have ordered that all educational institutions in the five border districts of Jammu region will remain closed on Wednesday.
“In view of the prevailing situation, all schools, colleges and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch will remain closed today,” Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar said on X.
This was the 13th consecutive night of unprovoked firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir, amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam attack. (PTI)
