Indian prime minister chairs high-level meeting reaffirming ‘preparedness’

Mood anxious in Islamabad as wait for Pakistani retaliation continues

Faras Ghani, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Despite the relative calm seen in most areas of Islamabad, residents here in the capital of Pakistan remain apprehensive about what might happen next.

There is full support for the army and its actions now, but de-escalation and a calming down of the situation remain the general mood here.

“There is a lot of war-mongering happening across social media, and that is causing unrest,” a young university student in the capital told Al Jazeera.

“I don’t think this fear and anxiety helps anyone. What’s done is done, but this fear of escalation, and the social media misinformation, is causing more problems than what’s happening on the ground.”

India’s foreign minister says any military action will be met with ‘firm response’

India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has claimed India’s cross-border strikes on Pakistan were “targeted and measured” and promised to respond to any retaliatory action.

“It is not our intention to escalate this situation,” Jaishankar said during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, according to a statement released by his office.

“However, if there are military attacks on us, there should be no doubt that it will be met with a very, very firm response.”

China says ‘not familiar’ with Chinese jets being used in India-Pakistan fighting

When asked whether Chinese jets were involved after India hit Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir with missiles on Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry said it was “not familiar with the matter”.

Pakistan’s military has claimed five jets had been downed, all within Indian territory.

India claims attacks on Pakistan’s air defence systems

The Indian army has struck air defence radars and systems at multiple locations in Pakistan, India’s government has said.

“It has been reliably learnt that an air defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” it said in a statement.

Furthermore, the Defence Ministry said Pakistani forces attempted to “engage a number of military targets” in multiple areas in northern and western India using “drones and missiles”.

We will bring you more shortly.

Trading halted on Pakistan’s benchmark share index: Stock Exchange

Trading was halted for an hour at the Pakistan Stock Exchange after the benchmark index plunged 6.3 percent intraday, following reports of drones being shot down in key cities, including Karachi and Lahore, information from the exchange shows.

Earlier, the army’s military spokesperson said 12 Indian drones were “neutralised” at multiple locations, with operations ongoing.

India says 16 killed as a result of Pakistani attacks

We now have more lines for you from the Indian defence ministry.

The ministry claims at least 16 people have now been reported killed, including five children, as a result of Pakistani fire.

“India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt,” it said.

Pakistanis expect harsh response to India’s attacks

As tensions between India and Pakistan rise, all eyes are on what Islamabad’s response to India’s attacks will be.

Hassan Khan, a security and political analyst based in the Pakistani capital, said the National Security Council authorised the army to respond in a way and time of its own choosing and that the population is expecting strong action.

“The military is under severe pressure,” Khan said, as Pakistanis expect a harsher attack than the one carried out by India.

The analyst, however, said he did not expect Pakistan to cross the international border but to wage missile attacks on military targets around the border area.

He added that while de-escalation efforts were under way, none would be successful before Pakistan delivered its response.

Risk of drone warfare further heightening tensions between India and Pakistan

Kamal Hyder, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan’s military spokesperson has said the army shot down at least 12 drones. These are said to be Israeli-supplied kamikaze drones that can loiter in the air for about two hours.

A little while ago, there were two incidents in Rawalpindi, Islamabad’s twin city. Another person was killed in Punjab and four soldiers were wounded in Lahore when one of these drones came down in a military area.

Drones have been spotted as far as Karachi, which is a major escalation because India has been using them across the Line of Control as well as across the International Boundary.

Pakistan also has drones supplied by Turkiye, and if the drone warfare starts between the two countries, it will heighten tensions even further.

US Consulate General in Pakistan’s Lahore directs staff to shelter in place

The US Consulate General in Lahore, Pakistan, has directed its staff to shelter in place amid reports of drone explosions, downed drones and possible airspace incursions, the US State Department says.

Pakistani military says 25 Indian drones intercepted

The army’s media department, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), says “so far, 25 Israeli-made Herop drones have been shot down by the Pakistani military,” using technical equipment and weapons.

“Debris from Israeli-made Herop drones is being recovered from various areas of Pakistan,” the statement says.

“Pakistan forces are giving a befitting reply to the enemy and are destroying all its intentions,” the statement concludes.

India’s defence minister claims 100 killed in Pakistani territory in closed-door meeting: Report

At least “100 terrorists” have been killed in Indian strikes on “terror camps” inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told an all-party meeting, according to local media.

Indian news outlets, including The Times of India and India Today cited unnamed sources in reporting the figure. Singh told reporters he could not give a “technical briefing” on Operation Sindoor as it was still continuing.

India Today reported sources as saying that the minister claimed “precise” attacks on nine “terrorist hideouts” in Pakistan.

Indian drones downed in city housing military headquarters

Abid Hussain, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Several drones were launched by India on Thursday morning, including at least three in Rawalpindi, the garrison city that also houses the headquarters of the Pakistani army.

One of the drones reportedly struck a food vendor area within the compound of Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, which is currently hosting Pakistan Super League matches.

Five out of the six teams participating are currently in Islamabad, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has convened an emergency meeting to deliberate the future of the tournament in light of the drone attacks.

The tournament is scheduled to end on May 18, with the final match set to take place in Lahore. However, the tournament may be relocated to the southern city of Karachi amid security concerns.

How many wars have India, Pakistan fought?

Four – three of them over Kashmir.

Two months after the end of British rule and the emergence of the two South Asian nations, a war over Kashmir erupted between them. Pakistani militias invaded Kashmir, then ruled by a Hindu king, to claim full control over the region.

The king, Hari Singh, pleaded with India for help. New Delhi agreed on condition that Singh would sign an instrument of accession, merging Kashmir with India. The king agreed. The war ended in 1948, and a ceasefire agreement allowing India and Pakistan to control parts of Kashmir came into effect on January 1, 1949.

In 1965, a clash between Indian and Pakistani border forces escalated into a full-blown war. Pakistani forces crossed the ceasefire line into Indian-administered Kashmir, while Indian forces crossed the International Boundary into Pakistan’s Lahore and launched attacks. After thousands of casualties on both sides, a UN Security Council resolution ended the war.

In 1971, Pakistan and India were embroiled in an armed conflict over what was then East Pakistan, which Indian forces helped liberate, leading to the establishment of Bangladesh as a nation. In 1972, India and Pakistan signed the Simla Agreement, which established a Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing Kashmir into two parts.

In 1999, Pakistani soldiers crossed the LoC, leading to a war in the Kargil area of Indian-administered Kashmir. Indian troops were able to push Pakistani soldiers back after bloody battles in the snowy heights of the Ladakh region.

Indian prime minister chairs high-level meeting reaffirming ‘preparedness’

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired a high-level meeting in which he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to “national security, operational preparedness, and citizen safety,” his office said.

“All ministries have identified their actionables in relation to the conflict and are strengthening processes,” the statement said. “Ministries are ready to deal with all kinds of emerging situations.”

The topics discussed in the meeting included “strengthening of civil defence mechanisms, efforts to counter misinformation and fake news, and ensuring the security of critical infrastructure,” it added.

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