Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed on Wednesday that 26 civilians were martyred and 46 others injured in overnight Indian airstrikes targeting multiple civilian areas across Pakistan.
Speaking during a briefing on Wednesday, the DG ISPR said that India carried out 24 airstrikes on six different locations inside Pakistani territory.
He said that 13 people were martyred in Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East area. The deceased included two three-year-old girls, seven women, and four men. In addition, 37 individuals were injured, including nine women and 28 men.
In a separate incident near Muzaffarabad, a strike on Bilal Mosque resulted in three fatalities, while two children — a girl and a boy — sustained injuries, he added.
Another attack occurred in Kotli, where the Abbas Mosque was targeted. Two teenagers, a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy, were martyred. A woman and her daughter were also injured in the same incident.
He further stated that no casualties were reported in Sialkot or Shakargarh, although a dispensary in Shakargarh sustained minor damage.
The military spokesperson also confirmed that Indian army firing along the Line of Control martyred five civilians, including a five-year-old child.
The military spokesperson added that India deliberately targeted mosques, describing it as a reflection of the extremist mindset of Narendra Modi’s Hindutva-driven government, which, he said, systematically oppresses minorities—particularly Muslims.
He further said that Pakistan army downed five Indian fighter jets and one combat drone in response to unprovoked aggression and airspace violations.
According to the military spokesperson, the aircraft shot down included three Rafale jets, one MiG-29, one SU-series aircraft, and an Israeli-made Heron combat drone. The jets were downed in multiple locations, including Bhatinda, Jammu, Akhnoor, Srinagar, and Avantipur.
“The Pakistan Air Force engaged these aircraft only after they carried out attacks on Pakistani territory,” DG ISPR said. “Their aggression targeted the territorial integrity of Pakistan and endangered civilian lives,” he added.
The military spokesperson added that while Pakistani forces had the capability to strike more than ten aircraft, they chose to exercise restraint.
He further said that armed forces responded to Indian airstrikes in a “measured and defensive” manner, asserting that the response was carried out in self-defence and without violating Indian airspace.
'Dam targeting dangerous escalation'
In a press briefing, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that India also targeted Nauseri Dam, part of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project. The military termed the move a “dangerous escalation” and warned of its implications.
“This is an unacceptable act,” DG ISPR said. “Targeting water infrastructure raises serious questions about compliance with international humanitarian law and war conventions.”
He also said the Indian strikes endangered civil aviation, with 57 international flights passing through Pakistani airspace at the time of the incident. “The presence of civilian aircraft highlights the recklessness of this operation,” he noted.
He added that Pakistani aircraft did not cross into Indian airspace, and no Indian aircraft were allowed into Pakistani territory.
“Pakistan has the right to respond to any act of aggression in a manner and time of its choosing,” Lt. Gen Chaudhry said, adding that the armed forces remain committed to defending the country’s sovereignty.
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