Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema praises army's response to Pakistan's failed drone attack

India Gazette

09-05-2025

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], May 9 (ANI): On Pakistan's failed drone attack last night, Punjab Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, 'I salute all army officers for giving a fitting reply to Pakistan. We will not spare this enemy nation. I hope they have learned their lesson and won't attempt anything similar further.'
He stated, 'All the people from civil administration, police administration, political groups, and intelligence are on our ground. The leaves of our government officials have been cancelled. Our health department has been strengthened. Schools have been shut down for those days.'
Cheema added, 'No one needs to panic or be afraid. We have ensured all security arrangements. Stringent action will be taken against those involved in black marketing of ration.'
The Indian Armed Forces successfully foiled a large-scale drone and missile attack launched by Pakistan targeting multiple military stations in Northern and Western India, including Jammu, Pathankot, and Udhampur, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) said.
The Indian military responded swiftly and decisively, neutralising the threat using both kinetic and non-kinetic means, following standard operating procedures (SoP).
In a post on X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said: 'Military Stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means.'
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, addressing the Ministry of External Affairs' press briefing, confirmed that India's Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems successfully countered the attacks.
'This morning, the Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,' Colonel Qureshi said.
She further detailed that during the night of May 7-8, Pakistan had attempted to strike military targets across a wide range of locations--Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. However, India's robust air defence systems neutralised all attempted incursions, and debris from intercepted drones and missiles is being recovered from multiple sites, confirming the attack.
The escalation followed India's launch of Operation Sindoor--a series of focused and precise strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
'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 the method of execution,' the Ministry of Defence had said on Wednesday.
During Thursday's media briefing, Colonel Qureshi reminded that on May 7, India had clearly stated that any attack on Indian military assets would invite a 'suitable response.
'Following Operation Sindoor, the Union Government convened an all-party meeting on Thursday at the Parliament Annexe to brief political leaders on the security situation and India's calibrated military action.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the briefing, which was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, among others
.Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh also addressed the press conference following the all-party meeting. (ANI)