Pakistan violated Indian Airspace, used civilian planes as shield: MEA
New Delhi, May 9: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a detailed press briefing on Friday, said that Pakistan had carried out multiple airspace violations across India’s western border during the night of May 7 and 8, with the apparent intention of targeting Indian military infrastructure. These actions, which involved the use of hundreds of drones and heavy artillery, led to a calibrated and proportionate response from the Indian armed forces under "Operation Sindoor".
Airspace Violations Across Entire Western Border
Addressing the media, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times, aiming to test Indian air defence capabilities and gather intelligence.
“On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace at multiple points across the entire western border. Around 300 to 400 drones were deployed to infiltrate at nearly 36 locations. Many of these drones were successfully intercepted and neutralised using both kinetic and non-kinetic measures,” she said.
Preliminary forensic investigations into the wreckage of the downed drones indicate that they were Turkish-origin Asisguard Songar models.
Use of Civil Airliners as Shields
In a serious revelation, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh accused Pakistan of deliberately endangering civilian lives by keeping its airspace open for civil aircraft even while launching unprovoked aerial attacks.
“Despite initiating a drone and missile assault on India at 8:30 pm on May 7, Pakistan chose not to shut its civil airspace. It is using civil airliners as shields, risking the lives of passengers aboard both domestic and international flights. In contrast, India declared an air defence alert and ensured its airspace was completely free of civil air traffic,” she said.
She added that flight radar data clearly showed civilian aircraft flying between Karachi and Lahore during the period when India’s airspace in Punjab sector was completely cleared as a precaution.
Indian Response and Damage to Pakistani Installations
India responded swiftly to Pakistan’s provocative actions. Armed drones were launched at four air defence sites in Pakistan, and one drone reportedly destroyed an air defence radar installation.
In addition to the air response, Pakistan also launched artillery shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), deploying heavy-calibre guns and armed drones. This led to casualties and injuries among Indian Army personnel. However, Pakistan’s military suffered significantly heavier losses during India’s retaliatory fire.
MEA Slams Pakistan’s Denial and Duplicity
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri strongly criticised the Pakistani establishment for its attempts to deny the attacks and shift the narrative.
“These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan targeted not only Indian military bases but also civilian infrastructure and cities. Despite this, Pakistan's official machinery has blatantly denied their involvement, which is yet another example of their duplicity and the new depths they continue to sink to,” he said.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
