Pakistan Says Civilians Killed In Indian Strikes, Vows Revenge

Pakistan’s military spokesman said on Wednesday India had fired missiles at five locations, vowing that the country would respond to the attacks at a “time and place of its own choosing.”

The development comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir last month in which 26 men were killed.

India, without providing evidence publicly, has accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack in the hill station of Pahalgam and vowed to respond. Pakistan has denied involvement and several top officials have spoken since of intelligence that India was planning to attack.

“Five places, Kotli, Ahmedpur East, Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Muridke, have been attacked,” Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told local broadcaster Geo News.

“Two civilians have been killed in Kotli and one child has been killed and 12 injured in Ahmedpur East.”

Ahmedpur East is a historic city located in the Bahawalpur District of southern Punjab, while Muridke is also located in Punjab. Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Kotli are in Azad Kashmir, which is part of the disputed Himalayan region governed by Pakistan.

Speaking separately to ARY News, Chaudhry said Pakistan had scrambled jets in response to the Indian attacks, adding that no Indian planes had entered Pakistan’s airspace.

“Let me say unequivocally that Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its own choosing to this cowardly attack, this heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” the military spokesman added.

According to an Indian government statement, its armed forces launched “Operation Sindoor,” hitting nine sites in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir from where it said the Pahalgam attack had been “planned and directed.”

No Pakistani military facilities had been targeted, the statement added.

Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since 1947. Both rule it in part and claim it in full.