NEW DELHI, 7 May: India’s armed forces destroyed nine terrorist infrastructure including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a 25-minute-long “measured and “non-escalatory” missile and drone strike early Wednesday in retaliation to the dastardly terror attack in Pahalgam.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri said India decided to carry out the “proportionate” strikes to bring the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 Pahalgam attack to justice as there was “no demonstrable step” from Pakistan to act against terrorist infrastructure on territories under its control.
Misri said India’s actions were in line with the UN Security Council’s statement about holding perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of the Pahalgam terror attack accountable.
Under ‘Operation Sindoor,’ the Indian military targeted Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in Bahawalpur and Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya Facility in Sialkot and LeT’s base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad’s Shawai Nalla, military officials said.
The operation was conducted from 1:05 am to 1:30 am and all the targets were neutralised with clinical efficiency, two women officers — Col Sophia Qureshi of the Army’s Corps of Signals and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, a helicopter pilot of the IAF — said at a media briefing alongside Misri.
Around 15 minutes after the operation ended, the defence ministry said: “A little while ago, the Indian Armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”
It said the actions by the Indian Armed forces have been “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature and that no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted.”
“India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the ministry said.
Military sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was monitoring ‘Operation Sindoor’ closely. Following the operation, he held a meeting of the Union Cabinet and hailed the Indian armed forces for successful strikes.
In his remarks, Misri said the Indian military carried out the “measured, non-escalatory, proportionate, and responsible” military strike to dismantle terrorist infrastructure to “deter and pre-empt” any further terrorist strikes.
Hours after the Indian operation, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said his country has every right to give a “befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India.” Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, however, said Islamabad is ready to “wrap up” tensions with New Delhi, if it de-escalates the situation.
The Pakistan Foreign Ministry described the Indian strikes as “unprovoked” and that the Indian military has violated Pakistan’s sovereignty using standoff weapons.
The Pakistan army said at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in these strikes.
JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar acknowledged that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in India’s missile attack on the outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur.
Indian officials said the strikes on all nine targets including Bahawalpur and Muridke were successful.
Muridke, located a short distance from Lahore, is home to a sprawling “markaz” or base of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). Bahawalpur is the main stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). (PTI)