ISLAMABAD: At least 26 civilians were martyred, and 46 others were injured in a series of Indian airstrikes targeting civilian areas in Pakistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Wednesday. The attacks, which took place overnight on May 6–7, were part of India's ongoing aggression against Pakistan.
During a media briefing, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that the Indian military launched 24 airstrikes on six different locations across Pakistani territory. These strikes targeted civilian neighborhoods in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including the cities of Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Shakargarh.
In Bahawalpur, 13 people were killed, including two young girls aged three, as well as seven women and four men. The attack also injured 37 others, including nine women and 28 men. Another airstrike in Muzaffarabad hit Bilal Mosque, killing three civilians and injuring two children, a girl and a boy. In Kotli, the Abbas Mosque was targeted, leaving two teenagers dead and a woman and her daughter injured.
The airstrikes also caused significant damage to civilian infrastructure, including mosques and health facilities. Despite the scale of the assault, no casualties were reported in Sialkot or Shakargarh, though a dispensary in Shakargarh was damaged.
Lt Gen Chaudhry condemned the attacks, calling them “cowardly and unlawful acts of war.” He stressed that these strikes not only targeted innocent civilians but also violated international law by endangering the lives of civilians and damaging civilian infrastructure.
The Pakistani military responded by downing five Indian fighter jets and one drone during defensive operations. Lt Gen Chaudhry emphasized Pakistan’s readiness to defend its sovereignty and warned India of further retaliation if attacks continued.
Pakistan has called on the international community to hold India accountable for its actions and prevent further escalation of the situation.
