Pakistan vows to retaliate for India strikes
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The news: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif described India’s strikes on Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir as an “act of war” and has vowed to retaliate.
The numbers: India fired missiles into the region early Wednesday, striking nine sites.
The Pakistani military claims that it shot down five Indian aircraft in response on Wednesday, but this has not been confirmed by Delhi.
Delhi says at least 10 people died and 32 injured in the cross-firing, while Islamabad says 26 people were killed and 46 injured in Indian air strikes and firing along the border.
The context: In a post on X, the Pakistani leader said: “This heinous act of aggression will not go unpunished. The people of Pakistan and its forces are fully prepared to confront and defeat any threat with our strength and determination. The enemy will never be allowed to achieve its malicious aims.”
Sharif also said that Pakistan has every right to give a “befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India and a befitting reply is being given”.
India’s attack on the region came in response a 22 April militant attack in the resort town of Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists. India blamed Pakistan for backing the militants, which Islamabad has denied.
The Indian government said that Wednesday’s strikes targeted “terrorist infrastructure” and said the action was “focused, measured and non-escalatory.”
However, Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, told The Times: “All the locations they targeted were civilian areas.”
Asif added: “Their claims of attacking terrorist camps are completely unfounded and a pack of lies. Our forces have already retaliated by shooting down five of their jets and a combat drone. Do not underestimate Pakistan’s response; it will be more significant than their actions.”
Governments across the globe have called for restraint from the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Beijing urged both sides to “remain calm and restrained,” the UK’s foreign secretary said he has "made clear to my counterparts in India and Pakistan that if this escalates further, nobody wins,” and Moscow has said it is “deeply concerned.”
US President Donald Trump said he hoped the conflict “ends very quickly.”
The sources: Sharif X post, The Times, Capital Brief
