RAWALPINDI – According to News, citing the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), India carried out drone strikes in multiple Pakistani cities, including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Attock, Bahawalpur, and Karachi.
During a press conference on Thursday, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry revealed that the attacks resulted in the martyrdom of one civilian and injuries to four Pakistani soldiers. The strikes reportedly occurred on the night between May 7 and 8, targeting civilian areas and religious sites, marking a serious breach of Pakistan’s airspace.
Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that Pakistan’s military forces were on high alert and managed to intercept and shoot down 12 Indian drones across various regions, inflicting substantial losses on the opposing side. He confirmed that debris from the destroyed drones was being retrieved.
The civilian fatality occurred in Miano, Sindh, due to a drone crash, while the injured soldiers were hit near Lahore. The ISPR spokesperson condemned the attacks as a significant escalation and blamed India for consistent provocations. He also emphasized that the international community has taken notice of India’s aggressive actions.
In response to the heightened tensions, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) temporarily suspended flight operations at several key airports, including those in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Sialkot, following a directive issued via a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). As a result, numerous incoming flights originally destined for Lahore were rerouted to Karachi. These included flights from cities such as Jeddah, Dubai, Muscat, Sharjah, and Madinah.
Sources further reported that as a safety precaution, Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore and Sialkot Airport were evacuated, while Jinnah International Airport in Karachi also halted all flight activities. Flight operations at these airports remain suspended until further notice.
Meanwhile, panic spread throughout Lahore’s Walton Road area and surrounding neighborhoods early Thursday morning, after three loud explosions were heard in rapid succession. The blasts prompted residents to flee their homes in fear, with reports from Lahore Police confirming that the explosions occurred within seconds of each other and were audible from several kilometers away, drawing large crowds onto the streets.
In an additional escalation on May 7, Pakistan’s armed forces downed five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets and a combat drone, and destroyed several Indian military installations including brigade headquarters and border checkposts along the Line of Control (LoC), following missile strikes launched by India in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). The strikes were confirmed by DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who described the Indian missile attack as a “cowardly act” conducted from within Indian airspace.
During the briefing of strike, he noted that missiles struck areas such as Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Ahmedpur Sharqia Bagh, and Muridke. He warned that such aggressive moves would not go unanswered.
Speaking to CNN, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif pointed out that even Indian media acknowledged the crash of three aircraft in Indian-occupied Kashmir. He condemned India’s targeting of civilians, including women and children, as a clear violation of international law.
Following the attacks, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the nation, labeling India’s aggression a “grave mistake” and vowed that it would not be tolerated or left unpunished.
