Indian armed forces are 'fully prepared' to face any response from Pakistan that is 'escalatory' in nature in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, said Colonel Sophia Qureshi while briefing the media about the ops on Wednesday.
Colonel Qureshi emphasized that the operation was executed with "precision and restraint," carefully avoiding Pakistani military assets to prevent any wider escalation.
Carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, Operation Sindoor was a calibrated counterstrike targeting nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). The operation used Rafale jets, cruise missiles, and precision-guided bombs, all deployed with accuracy from within Indian airspace.
Also read: From 5 to 100 km, how deep India went inside "enemy" Pakistan to break the "backbone of terrorism"
India's response 'focused, measured, and non-escalatory'
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” sending an unmistakable message.
“Pakistan continues to be a safe haven for terrorists,” Misri said. “On April 22, a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist trained in Pakistan carried out a horrific attack on tourists in Pahalgam, killing 25 Indians and one Nepali. It was the worst civilian attack since Mumbai 2008."
Officials stressed the mission was executed with caution to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage in Pakistani territory.
The name “Operation Sindoor” symbolizes mourning and determination, honouring the young lives lost in the Pahalgam massacre.
A widely shared image of Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s grieving widow captured the national mood, crystallizing the outrage into resolve.
The Indian Air Force hit key bases of terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—long blamed for attacks on Indian targets—in areas including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Muzaffarabad.
The strikes prompted an immediate security surge along the border. Airports in Srinagar, Jammu, and Leh were temporarily shut, with civilian flights suspended in several northern zones.
Also read: Operation Sindoor: Indian army personnel on leave to be called back, orders Amit Shah
Pakistan terms Indian strikes on terror camps an 'act of war'
In the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor, tensions escalated sharply across the region as Pakistan denounced India’s precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province as an "act of war".
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed Indian missiles had hit five sites inside Pakistan and said, “The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives.” He asserted that the Pakistani nation stood firmly with its armed forces and that the country had “every right to give a befitting reply”.
Echoing Sharif’s hardline stance, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan would retaliate “with full force,” telling Geo News that both military and diplomatic responses were being prepared. “We will pay off this debt in the manner such debt is paid,” he said, vowing swift retribution.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry detailed the locations struck by Indian missiles, including Kotli and Muzaffarabad in PoK, and Bahawalpur in Punjab province. He claimed that three civilians were killed and 12 injured, accusing India of targeting the Subhanullah mosque in Bahawalpur’s Ahmed East locality. Indian officials have maintained that civilian areas were deliberately avoided in the strikes.
“All our air force jets are airborne,” Chaudhry added. “This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They never dared to enter ours.”
Also read: India wipes out Ajmal Kasab, David Headley’s training camp in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan
He warned that Pakistan would respond “at a time and place of its own choosing”, promising that “this heinous provocation will not go unanswered”.
Chaudhry further said that damage assessments were underway and that additional information would be shared in due course. He warned that “this temporary happiness” India may feel “will be replaced with enduring grief”.
In a direct consequence of the operation, Pakistan closed its airspace to all civilian air traffic for 48 hours.
The sharp deterioration in ties comes just over two weeks after the brutal April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, all civilians, and triggered India’s cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.
Colonel Qureshi emphasized that the operation was executed with "precision and restraint," carefully avoiding Pakistani military assets to prevent any wider escalation.
Carried out in the early hours of Wednesday, Operation Sindoor was a calibrated counterstrike targeting nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK). The operation used Rafale jets, cruise missiles, and precision-guided bombs, all deployed with accuracy from within Indian airspace.
Also read: From 5 to 100 km, how deep India went inside "enemy" Pakistan to break the "backbone of terrorism"
India's response 'focused, measured, and non-escalatory'
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri described the operation as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory,” sending an unmistakable message.
“Pakistan continues to be a safe haven for terrorists,” Misri said. “On April 22, a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist trained in Pakistan carried out a horrific attack on tourists in Pahalgam, killing 25 Indians and one Nepali. It was the worst civilian attack since Mumbai 2008."
Officials stressed the mission was executed with caution to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage in Pakistani territory.
The name “Operation Sindoor” symbolizes mourning and determination, honouring the young lives lost in the Pahalgam massacre.
A widely shared image of Navy Lieutenant Vinay Narwal’s grieving widow captured the national mood, crystallizing the outrage into resolve.
The Indian Air Force hit key bases of terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba—long blamed for attacks on Indian targets—in areas including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Muzaffarabad.
The strikes prompted an immediate security surge along the border. Airports in Srinagar, Jammu, and Leh were temporarily shut, with civilian flights suspended in several northern zones.
Also read: Operation Sindoor: Indian army personnel on leave to be called back, orders Amit Shah
Pakistan terms Indian strikes on terror camps an 'act of war'
In the immediate aftermath of Operation Sindoor, tensions escalated sharply across the region as Pakistan denounced India’s precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab province as an "act of war".
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed Indian missiles had hit five sites inside Pakistan and said, “The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives.” He asserted that the Pakistani nation stood firmly with its armed forces and that the country had “every right to give a befitting reply”.
Echoing Sharif’s hardline stance, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan would retaliate “with full force,” telling Geo News that both military and diplomatic responses were being prepared. “We will pay off this debt in the manner such debt is paid,” he said, vowing swift retribution.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry detailed the locations struck by Indian missiles, including Kotli and Muzaffarabad in PoK, and Bahawalpur in Punjab province. He claimed that three civilians were killed and 12 injured, accusing India of targeting the Subhanullah mosque in Bahawalpur’s Ahmed East locality. Indian officials have maintained that civilian areas were deliberately avoided in the strikes.
“All our air force jets are airborne,” Chaudhry added. “This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They never dared to enter ours.”
Also read: India wipes out Ajmal Kasab, David Headley’s training camp in Operation Sindoor against Pakistan
He warned that Pakistan would respond “at a time and place of its own choosing”, promising that “this heinous provocation will not go unanswered”.
Chaudhry further said that damage assessments were underway and that additional information would be shared in due course. He warned that “this temporary happiness” India may feel “will be replaced with enduring grief”.
In a direct consequence of the operation, Pakistan closed its airspace to all civilian air traffic for 48 hours.
The sharp deterioration in ties comes just over two weeks after the brutal April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, all civilians, and triggered India’s cross-border strikes under Operation Sindoor.
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