Pak PM Sharif terms Indian missile strikes on terror targets as 'act of war', vows to respond
Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif early Wednesday termed the Indian missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province as an "act of war" and said his country has every right to give a "befitting reply."
In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early Wednesday, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed, the Indian Army said.
Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said at least eight people were killed and 35 others injured in Indian missile attacks on cities in Punjab and PoK, Geo News reported.
Army spokesman Chaudhry, in an earlier morning press conference statement, said that a total of 24 impacts have been reported by India, with different weapons, in six localities.
“In these six localities, eight Pakistanis have been killed, 35 have been injured and two are missing,” he said.
He said that in Bahwalpur’s area of Ahmedpur East, Subhan mosque was targeted. “Here, there were four strikes and five Pakistanis were killed, including a three-year-old girl. Thirty-one civilians have been injured, including 25 men and six women,” he said.
He said the mosque was destroyed, while four quarters in which people were living were also destroyed.
He said that in Muzaffarabad, the Bilal mosque was targeted.
“There were seven impacts, in which one girl was injured and a mosque was destroyed,” he said. While in Kotli, Abbat mosque was targeted.
“There were five impacts and two people died, including a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy. A woman and her daughter are both injured,” he said.
He also said, "In Muridke, Umalkura mosque was targeted and there were four strikes. One man has been killed, while another is injured. Two people are missing,” he said.
The spokesman said a mosque has been destroyed and potters have sustained economic damages.
“In Sialkot district, in the village of Kotki Lohara, there were two strikes,” he added.
"One missile misfired, while one fell in an open field. There was no damage.”
“Near Shakargarh, there were two strikes with no damage. There was minor damage to a dispensary,” he said.
Prime Minister Sharif said that India carried out attacks at five places in Pakistan. "Pakistan has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” Sharif said in a statement.
Sharif said his armed forces “know very well how to deal with the enemy".
"We will never let the enemy succeed in its nefarious objectives,” he added.
The Prime Minister has summoned a meeting of the National Security Council at 10 am.
Pakistan has closed its airspace for all air traffic for 48 hours.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar termed the Indian strikes as a "flagrant violation" of Pakistan’s sovereignty, the UN Charter & international law.
"It has jeopardised regional peace,” he said in a statement on X.
In a statement, the Foreign Office termed the strikes by the "Indian Air Force, while remaining within Indian airspace," as an "unprovoked and blatant act of war".
“We will respond with full force. We will pay off this debt in the manner such debt is paid,” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told Geo News.
He said Pakistan's response would be both kinetic and diplomatic, and it would not take long to retaliate to the Indian attack.
"All places are open for the international media to verify if they targeted terrorists’ camps or civilians,” he said.
Officials said that the Indian strikes targeted five places in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bagh in PoK and in the Bahawalpur and Muridke areas of Punjab.
India launched air strikes on the Subhanullah mosque in Bahwalpur's Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air, the army spokesman told ARY News channel.
"All of our air force jets are airborne. This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India's airspace. They were never allowed to come and intrude into the space of Pakistan,” he said.
“Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing. This heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” he added.
This "temporary happiness" that India has achieved with this attack will be replaced with enduring grief, he said.
Ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operational land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties following the terror attack.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the top defence brass that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the attack.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Cong takes swipe at PM over India not being part of US-led 'Pax Silica' grouping
New Delh (PTI) The Congress on Saturday said it is perhaps not very surprising that India is not part of a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure silicon supply chain, given the "sharp downturn" in the Trump-Modi ties, and asserted that it would have been to "our advantage if we had been part of this group".
Congress general secretary in charge of communications Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the news of India not being part of the group comes after the PM had enthusiastically posted on social media about a telephone call with his "once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC".
In a lengthy post on X, Ramesh said, "According to some news reports, the US has excluded India from a nine-nation initiative it has launched to reduce Chinese control on high-tech supply chains. The agreement is called Pax Silica, clearly as a counter to Pax Sinica. The nations included (for the moment at least) are the US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia."
"Given the sharp downturn in the Trump-Modi ties since May 10th, 2025, it is perhaps not very surprising that India has not been included. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we had been part of this group."
"This news comes a day after the PM had enthusiastically posted on his telephone call with his once-upon-a-time good friend and a recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston, and Washington DC," the Congress leader asserted.
The new US-led strategic initiative, rooted in deep cooperation with trusted allies, has been launched to build a secure and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
According to the US State Department, the initiative called 'Pax Silica' aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities foundational to artificial intelligence (AI), and ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale.
The initiative includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Australia. With the exception of India, all other QUAD countries -- Japan, Australia and the US -- are part of the new initiative.
New Delhi will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 on February 19-20, focusing on the principles of 'People, Planet, and Progress'. The summit, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit, will be the first-ever global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Prime Minister Modi and US President Trump on Thursday discussed ways to sustain momentum in the bilateral economic partnership in a phone conversation amid signs of the two sides inching closer to firming up a much-awaited trade deal.
The phone call between the two leaders came on a day Indian and American negotiators concluded two-day talks on the proposed bilateral trade agreement that is expected to provide relief to India from the Trump administration's whopping 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods.
In a social media post, Modi had described the conversation as "warm and engaging".
"We reviewed the progress in our bilateral relations and discussed regional and international developments. India and the US will continue to work together for global peace, stability and prosperity," Modi had said without making any reference to trade ties.
