26 Civilians Martyred, Dozens Injured in Indian Airstrikes: DG ISPR
ISLAMABAD – The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed on Wednesday that 26 civilians lost their lives and 46 others were injured in a series of Indian airstrikes targeting civilian areas across Pakistan overnight.
During a press briefing, Lt Gen Chaudhry revealed that the Indian military conducted 24 airstrikes on six separate locations inside Pakistani territory. Among the hardest-hit areas was Ahmedpur East in Bahawalpur, where 13 people were killed — including two three-year-old girls, seven women, and four men. At least 37 others sustained injuries in the attack, comprising nine women and 28 men.
In another strike near Muzaffarabad, three individuals were martyred when Bilal Mosque was hit. Two children — a boy and a girl — were wounded in the incident. A separate assault in Kotli targeted Abbas Mosque, claiming the lives of two teenagers, a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy. A woman and her daughter were also injured.While no casualties were reported in Sialkot and Shakargarh, a local dispensary in Shakargarh sustained minor damage, the DG ISPR added.
Lt Gen Chaudhry further reported that Indian army shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) killed five civilians, including a five-year-old child.
“Pakistan reserves the right to respond to any act of aggression at a time and in a manner it deems appropriate.”
He strongly condemned the deliberate targeting of mosques, describing it as indicative of the extremist ideology underpinning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindutva-driven administration. He accused the Indian government of systemic oppression of minorities, particularly Muslims.
Pakistan Downs Indian Aircraft in Retaliatory Action
In response to what Pakistan termed unprovoked aggression and airspace violations, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down five Indian fighter jets and a combat drone, according to the military spokesperson.
The downed aircraft included three Rafale jets, one MiG-29, one SU-series fighter, and an Israeli-made Heron drone. These were brought down in multiple locations across Indian territory, including Bhatinda, Jammu, Akhnoor, Srinagar, and Avantipur. “The Pakistan Air Force engaged only those aircraft that had carried out strikes on Pakistani soil,” said Lt Gen Chaudhry. “Their actions posed a direct threat to our territorial integrity and endangered innocent lives.”
Despite having the capability to neutralize more enemy aircraft, the Pakistan military exercised restraint, he added. The retaliatory response was described as “measured and defensive,” with Pakistan ensuring that no Indian airspace was violated.
Nauseri Dam Attack: A ‘Grave Escalation’
The military spokesperson also condemned the targeting of Nauseri Dam, part of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project, labeling it a “dangerous escalation” by India. “Striking water infrastructure is not only unacceptable but raises serious concerns about India’s disregard for international humanitarian law and wartime conventions,” he said. The strikes also threatened civil aviation, as 57 international flights were traversing Pakistani airspace at the time of the attacks, highlighting the recklessness of the operation, he noted.
Lt Gen Chaudhry concluded by reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty, saying, “Pakistan reserves the right to respond to any act of aggression at a time and in a manner it deems appropriate.”
