Pakistan Army confirms India missile strikes in its territory, scramble jets in response
Islamabad: Pakistan's military on Wednesday confirmed that Indian missile strikes hit three locations inside Pakistani territory - Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and the Ahmed East area of Bahawalpur, the Express Tribune reported.
According to Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the strikes caused the martyrdom of one child, while a man and a woman sustained serious injuries.
During a late-night press briefing, DG ISPR stated, "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."
He confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force had scrambled jets in response. "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."
Lt Gen Chaudhry added that Pakistan's response would come at its discretion. "Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing."
He stated that damage assessments were underway and further updates would be provided when confirmed. Local reports from Muzaffarabad noted a complete blackout following the blasts, as reported by the Express Tribune.
Amid the developments, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that a clash with India is now "inevitable" and could occur "at any moment."
The strikes come after weeks of heightened tension following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists.
India's Ministry of Defence confirmed that the Indian Armed Forces had launched "Operation Sindoor," targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
"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," the ministry said.
According to the statement, nine sites were targeted. "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. The ministry added that the operation was launched in response to the "barbaric" terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen.
"There will be a detailed briefing on 'OPERATION SINDOOR', later today," the ministry said. Meanwhile, the Indian Army posted on X: "Justice is served. Jai Hind!"
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
13 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Pakistan TikTok star Sana Yousaf shot dead at home
A A A A Islamabad police have launched a murder probe after a teenage social media influencer was shot dead in her home. The news has reignited fears about the safety of women, particularly those in the public eye. Yousaf had nearly 800,000 followers on TikTok and close to 500,000 on Instagram. Police in Islamabad on Tuesday were investigating the killing of 17-year-old Sana Yousaf after she was found shot dead in her home. The killing of the popular teenager, who had more than a million followers across TikTok and Instagram, has raised renewed concerns over the safety of online personalities in Pakistan, particularly young women.
Times of Oman
18 hours ago
- Times of Oman
PM Modi expresses deep appreciation to Paraguay for its strong condemnation of Pahalgam terror attack
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed his "deep appreciation" to Paraguay for its "strong condemnation" of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack as he held a "comprehensive discussion" with President Santiago Pena Palacios in the national capital. According to the MEA, the two leaders held a comprehensive discussion at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defence and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, digitalisation, innovation and people-to-people links among others. During a press briefing, P Kumaran, Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), highlighted that both leaders "unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms," with President Pena extending deep solidarity with the victims and their families. President Pena is in India for a three-day state visit, which will conclude on June 4. "Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep appreciation to Paraguay for its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack... as well as for the sincere condolences and solidarity expressed with the people and the government of India. Both leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations. On behalf of the Paraguayan people, President Pena expressed his deep solidarity with the victims and families of the terrorist attack," Kumaran stated during the briefing. Kumaran further noted that during Pena's meeting with PM Modi at the Hyderabad House earlier today, both leaders welcomed the establishment of a Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) at the Secretary/Vice Ministerial level to advance cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Recognising India's growing global economic role, the MEA emphasised President Pena's keen interest in attracting Indian investments to Paraguay. "The two sides welcomed the establishment of a Joint Commission Mechanism at the Secretary/ Vice Ministerial level. The JCM will serve as a key platform to review and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest. recognising India's growing global economic role, President Pina expressed keen interest in attracting Indian investments to Paraguay. He engaged with prominent Indian business leaders in Delhi. He is scheduled to travel tomorrow to Mumbai and interact with top Indian business leaders and companies," Kumaran added. President Pena will also be meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan in the evening, where a banquet will be hosted. "The two leaders held a comprehensive discussion on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defence and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT, digitalisation, innovation, disaster management, science and technology and people-to-people links. The President is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu in the evening at Rashtrapati Bhawan, where a banquet will be hosted for him," Kurmaran stated. "The bilateral relationship was expanded steadily with growing cooperation in sectors such as trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and information technology. Paraguay is a growing trade partner for India in the Latin American region," he added. Earlier in the day, President Pena paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath at the memorial. The visit is part of his three-day state visit to India, which will conclude on June 4.
Times of Oman
20 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Electric cars key to India's energy independence, says IEA chief
Paris: India should prioritise electric vehicle (EV) adoption to reduce its dependence on oil imports and strengthen energy security, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol said on Monday after a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal. "India should look at the electrification of mobility very closely because currently we have low oil prices, but the country is definitely at the mercy of some key oil producers," Birol warned. "If India wants to have the upper hand in terms of domestic energy trajectories, electric cars are one of the key solutions." The IEA chief highlighted the rapid global shift toward electric vehicles, noting that electric car sales have surged from just 3 per cent of total car sales four years ago to 25% this year. "One out of four cars sold today is electric," he said. "This is mainly because electric cars are getting cheaper, slowly but surely." In many countries, electric and conventional vehicles now carry similar price tags, while operating costs favour EVs. "In most countries around the world, driving one kilometre costs less with electricity than with oil, unless oil prices fall below $50," Birol explained. He predicted that electric vehicles will eventually dominate global transportation. "The world is going to see that sooner or later, electric cars will be dominating the streets." Birol praised India as "one of the drivers of the global clean energy transition," particularly highlighting the country's solar energy achievements. "India has achieved a huge success story, especially on the solar front, and this is good for India's economy and its energy security," he noted. The IEA executive director also commended India's LED bulb program, calling Minister Goyal its architect and describing it as "one of the most successful programs in the history of energy transition." The initiative has made India's electrification system more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. He also praised the Ujjwala program for bringing clean cooking solutions to hundreds of millions of households and for its efforts to provide electricity access to Indian villages. Addressing concerns about the energy transition's supply chain, Birol warned of growing concentration in critical mineral mining and processing. "We are seeing major concentration. This is a worry because we at the IEA believe that the best energy security policy is diversification," he said. The concentration of critical minerals--essential for energy transition, defense, and chip manufacturing--poses "serious risk for the years to come," he warned. Birol urged all countries to diversify mining, refining, and processing of key critical minerals to avoid potential supply disruptions. For oil-importing nations like India, Birol recommended government incentives to accelerate electric vehicle adoption. "Countries importing oil should consider giving incentives to electric cars to reduce imports from different parts of the world," he said. He emphasized the importance of supporting consumers in purchasing their first electric vehicles, noting that countries must avoid falling behind in the electric car revolution.
