India attacks three airbases in Pakistan; fires six ballistic missiles on Indian Punjab’s Sikh areas: ISPR chief

ISLAMABAD: India fired air-to-surface missiles at three airbases of Pakistan — Nur Khan Airbase, Murid Airbase and Shorkot Airbase in the wee hours of Saturday, said military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, adding PAF assets remained safe.

He revealed that India also fired missiles at Afghanistan.

He told India to wait for Pakistan’s response, adding India is pushing the entire region into war.

Security sources said the armed forces are vigilant to counter any aggressive move by India.

Meanwhile, India fired six ballistic missiles from Adampur late Friday night — one of them landed in Adampur itself, while five missiles struck Amritsar in Indian Punjab, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

In a press briefing, he further said India is pursuing its nefarious designs by targeting Sikh-populated areas in Indian Punjab. “Our sympathies are with the Sikhs and all other minorities facing its conspiracies and oppression,” he added. He said India has started firing ballistic missiles on its own population, calling it a shocking development. He said this insanity doesn’t make any sense.

Earlier in the day, the Pakistan’s armed forces said the country will not de-escalate with India, adding that they will get an answer.

The security sources said the missiles bear digital sigantures indicating their locations.

Addressing the international media flanked with officers of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Navy (PN), Inter Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said: “We will not de-escalate — with the damages India did on our side, they should take a hit.”

“So far we have been protecting ourselves but they will get an answer in our own timing,” the military spokesperson added.

Asked whether there is still state of war when schools are closed and there is fear among public, he told the correspondent of Voice of America, “What do you think, what is this. Till the territorial integrity and sovereignty requires that.” The PAF officer, on the occasion, said that there would be no compromise when lives of people and sovereignty of Pakistan are threatened and it would not go unnoticed. “The pride and trust which the nation has in the armed forces will be upheld at all costs,” he said. He said that PAF tried to tell Indians through tactical brilliance in Pulwama and now showed them “our professional prowess”, he said.

The senior PAF officer said that on the directives of air chief, the rules of game were changed from deterrence to ‘assure kill’ as soon as the Indian aircraft launched their weapons. He said that the air combat in the air lasted for an hour, it was unprecedented and would be taught in textbooks of air combat. “It is not equipment which matters rather it is training, leadership which gives you directions and the operational competence,” he said. There is not a single combat casualty on the Pakistan side, however, there are injuries.

According to BBC Urdu, PAF’s Director General Public Relations (DGPR) Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed stated that the PAF deployed JF-17, F-16 and J-10 aircraft in this operation, but he did not comment on whether Pakistan used the Chinese-made PL-15. He stated that Pakistan’s air defence system is highly effective. Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb said that after the Indian aircraft appeared, the PAF ‘initiated its multi-domain operation’.

He said that during the dogfight on the night of May 6, which lasted for an hour, 14 Rafale jets were electronically identified out of the 72 Indian Air Force aircraft. Meanwhile, he stated that Pakistan used 42 warplanes in this operation.

He added civilian air traffic was rerouted to ensure the safety of Lahore, Islamabad, and other airspaces. Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb also shared audio recordings of Indian Rafale pilots’ communications that were intercepted during the engagement.

To a question, ISPR DG Lt Gen Chaudhry said that there has been no direct communication between National Security Advisers (NSAs) of Pakistan and India. He maintained that Pakistan has all the right to do whatever to protect lives and dignity of its people, warning that India has put global peace at risk. He said that India must stop resorting to military action and military posture against the neighbouring country under the cover of allegations that Pakistan supports Jehadi organisations in Kashmir.

The ISPR DG asserted that India has a history of targeting innocent people for political objectives, blaming Pakistan and then covering up these actions by further killing innocent Kashmiris and Muslims while portraying them as terrorists. He pointed out that India blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident within minutes of its occurrence, without conducting any investigation. He also presented video clips featuring Indian citizens, Kashmiris, Indian officials, retired Indian military officers, and politicians, all describing the Pahalgam incident as a security failure on the part of the Indian government. He accused the Indian media of frequently fabricating stories to implicate Pakistan.

He said the Pakistan government rightly asked India to bring evidence of its alleged involvement in Pahalgam attack before an independent commission. He reiterated questions over the Pahalgam attack, saying that within ten minutes how they found out who carried out the attack. He stated that, so far, 33 civilians have been martyred and 62 others injured as a result of Indian aggression.

He said that it was a matter of shame that the Indian media was celebrating killing of children of age three to seven. “We have been careful as our religion, morality and culture do not allow to target civilians and innocent people or holy places,” he added. He said that India was frustrated over the downing of French-manufactured modern Rafale fighter jet by Pakistan.

The DG ISPR stated that New Delhi was involved in terror financing and was sponsoring cross-border terrorism. He also responded to India’s claims of downing a Pakistani aircraft during recent tensions, questioning lack of evidence. The ISPR DG also pointed out the absence of any Pakistani pilots in Indian custody, further undermining the credibility of their narrative. He assured that Pakistan’s response would continue to be grounded in truth and evidence.

He strongly criticised the Indian media for spreading fabricated stories about Pakistan’s military actions and called upon the international media to check facts and be careful while buying stories of Indian media who have been creating war hysteria.

Lt Gen Chaudhry further said that India has suppressed independent media, banned thousands of X handles, and restricted access to social media platforms operating within Pakistan to ensure that the Indian public only hears the version presented by its own authorities.

Separately, in an interview with TRT World, ISPR DG Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that India could not act as judge, jury and executioner in a case involving two states. He said India has a habit of blaming Pakistan for terror incidents without evidence and using such claims for its internal political gains. He said this practice must stop.

He said, “Pakistan is not using drones or launching any rocket attacks, absolutely not.” He also said that India has created a false media narrative, claiming that Pakistan launched drone strikes and aircraft attacks across the border. He said this is entirely made up. “In modern warfare, everything leaves an electronic trace,” he explained. “If Pakistan had launched missile attacks, there would be clear evidence.”

Meanwhile, the Foreign Office unequivocally condemning the Indian illegal acts of violating Pakistan’s sovereignty, said that India’s reckless conduct had brought two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict, and that the country’s jingoism and war hysteria should be a source of serious concern for the world. “Indian actions were a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, international law, and established norms governing the inter-state relations,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said at his weekly press briefing.

He said that India had been violating Pakistan’s sovereignty since May 7 and that Indian strikes against Pakistan had endangered the regional peace and stability. He said that in the wake of Pahalgam attack, the Indian leadership had once again used the bogey of terrorism to advance its sham narrative of victimhood, jeopardising regional peace. “We once again reject any attempt to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan,” he added.

Referring to the Indian foreign secretary’s accusations against Pakistan at a special press briefing, the FO spokesperson said that alleging Pakistan of escalating the situation through the Pahalgam attack was “totally absurd” as India could not yet produce any credible and verifiable evidence of Pakistan’s involvement. “The Pakistani forces did not attack Pahalgam but the Indian forces did attack multiple locations in Pakistan. Accordingly, Pakistan reserves the right to take all appropriate measures in its self-defence.”

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed a transparent and independent probe into Pahalgam Attack through neutral investigators but India chose the path of belligerence and aggression. “Can any country in the world be allowed to attack another country on the basis of a few social media posts? India is attempting to act as a judge, jury and executioner,” he remarked.

Terming Indian claims of targeting the terrorists or terrorist infrastructure only, as “patently false” he said the strikes resulted in martyrdom of civilians, including women and children and mosques destroyed. Also mentioning the damage to Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project, he demanded that India should be held accountable for these crimes.

“Holding in abeyance of IWT is unilateral and illegal. There are no such provisions in the treaty... It sets a dangerous precedent...Pakistan is an agrarian economy. Millions of people are dependent on the waters being regulated by this treaty. The Indian decision is equivalent to an attack on the people of Pakistan, and its economy,” he remarked. He said for Pakistan, the Indian announcement was of no legal consequence as the IWT remained in force and fully binding on parties.

Meanwhile, speaking on floor of the National Assembly, Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said the civil and military leadership and the whole nation was in high morale to give decisive and strong respond to the Indian aggression. He assured the nation to remain calm, saying that the country is 200 percent ready to respond any aggression, adding that in any retaliatory action, Pakistan would not target Indian civilians and would only strike their military installations. “The majority of the world remains neutral, while key allies such as Türkiye, China and Azerbaijan have openly backed Pakistan,” he said. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, in his speech, said it was high time that defence institutions are strengthened and the whole nation while forgetting all the differences should stand behind them.

Meanwhile, security sources said that so far Pakistan Armed Forces have destroyed a total of 77 Indian drones. According to the sources, 29 drones were shot down by the evening of May 8. Since then, an additional 48 drones have been taken down between last night and midday on Friday. Meanwhile, Indian troops once again raised the white flag after facing a strong and effective response from the Pakistan Army along the LoC, security sources said. The latest incident took place at Dharamsal 2 post, opposite the Buttel sector, where Indian forces surrendered following a forceful counterattack by Pakistani troops. Security officials confirmed that the white flag raised by Indian soldiers signaled an admission of defeat after their failed attempt at aggression.

Earlier, the Pakistan Army retaliated effectively to recent Indian aggression along the LoC, confirming the destruction of three additional Indian posts in response to unprovoked firing.

In the Kellar sector, this included the Meheree post situated at Khalsha Top. Simultaneously, in the Rakh Chaqri sector, the Dana Top and Mound posts were also successfully destroyed.

According to security officials, the enemy has been left in disarray due to the successive destruction of posts along the LoC.

Meanwhile, five civilians were killed in Indian shelling overnight near the LoC in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a government official said. “Indian forces shelled civilian areas... resulting in the deaths of four people, including a two-year-old girl and injuring 12 others,” police official Adeel Khan, based in Kotli district, told the AFP, adding that the shelling continued late into the night.

In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, a senior government official who asked not to be named confirmed the deaths in Kotli and added a fifth person was killed in Bagh district. A security official based in Muzaffarabad who asked not to be named told AFP: “A mortar shell fired by Indian forces struck a civilian home in Bagh, resulting in the death of a young man and injuries to his two sisters.”

In a beefed-up global effort to de-escalate the situation between Pakistan and India, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here at the PM House and discussed the situation in South Asia. The Saudi minister said that the kingdom was deeply concerned about the current situation in South Asia, reiterating his country’s call for de-escalation, as well as peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes between Pakistan and India, in accordance with international law and the UN Security Council’s relevant resolutions. The Saudi minister of state was on a day-long official visit to Pakistan.

PM Shehbaz appreciated the kingdom’s steadfast and unwavering support to Pakistan, through thick and thin. While discussing the prevailing situation in South Asia, the prime minister strongly condemned India’s missile and drone strikes against Pakistan and stressed that India’s unprovoked and unjustified acts of aggression had violated Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and seriously endangered regional peace and stability.

He appreciated the kingdom’s diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation and bring peace in the region. The Saudi minister expressed heartfelt condolences over the loss of precious civilian lives.

The Saudi minister of state also separately met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed matters of mutual interests. The deputy PM expressed appreciation for the kingdom’s constructive diplomatic efforts in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Meanwhile, Ishaq Dar received a telephone call from UK Secretary of State David Lammy who expressed deep concern over the unfolding situation between Pakistan and India. The UK foreign secretary conveyed his condolences on the tragic loss of civilian lives and underscored the need for both sides to exercise restraint and de-escalate, according to a Foreign Office press release.

Foreign Minister of Japan Iwaya Takeshi also telephoned Ishaq Dar and expressed deep concern over the evolving situation between Pakistan and India. The Japanese foreign minister conveyed condolences over the loss of innocent civilian lives caused by the Indian strikes. He emphasized that both sides should exercise restraint.

Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov also phoned Ishaq Dar. The DPM briefed him on the evolving regional situation. Bayramov expressed strong solidarity and support for Pakistan.

Meanwhile, DPM Dar spoke with Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and apprised him of the deteriorating regional situation. Espen Barth Eide appreciated the restraint shown by Pakistan and underscored the urgent need for de-escalation and the pursuit of diplomacy to avoid further conflict.