Civilian Areas Targeted as Pakistan Launches Drone Blitz; India Responds with Measured Force

In a high-level press briefing held in the capital on Friday, India formally disclosed the initiation of Operation Sindoor, a calibrated military response to a series of coordinated provocations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) during the night of May 8–9.

Flanked by senior military officers Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri outlined the unprecedented nature of Pakistan’s assault — involving drone incursions, artillery shelling, and reckless use of civilian airspace — and detailed India’s strategic retaliation.

According to Colonel Qureshi, Pakistan launched a wave of over 300–400 Turkish-origin Songar drones across 36 locations, stretching from Leh to Sir Creek, with a primary focus on military installations in Jammu and Kashmir. In a significant escalation, an armed UAV attempted to strike Bathinda military station but was intercepted and destroyed.

India responded by deploying precision drone strikes against four Pakistani air defense positions, successfully neutralizing at least one radar installation. “The Indian Armed Forces acted with precision, restraint, and resolve,” stated Foreign Secretary Misri.

In what India called a deliberate escalation; Pakistan’s artillery shelling extended to civilian areas and religious institutions. A Gurdwara in Poonch was struck, resulting in the death of a Sikh religious singer (Ragi) and several civilians. Another shell hit a Christian convent and school, killing two students and seriously injuring their parents.

Misri condemned the attacks as part of a broader pattern of targeting communal harmony, dismissing Pakistan’s counter-allegation — that India was shelling its own population — as “a deranged fantasy.”

Highlighting a major safety violation, Wing Commander Singh noted that Pakistan did not suspend civilian air traffic even as it launched cross-border drone and missile operations on May 7. Satellite and aviation tracker data confirmed that commercial aircraft, including a Flynas A320 from Dammam to Lahore, flew near the conflict zone.

In contrast, India had preemptively closed its airspace over Punjab to protect civilian aircraft during the heightened military alert.

India has suspended operations at the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, citing security concerns. Foreign Secretary Misri also noted that External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had briefed counterparts from the United States, United Kingdom, and Norway about the situation, including the recent Pahalgam terror attack and broader regional threats.

Responding to media queries, Misri confirmed that India carried out a targeted strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammad headquarters in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The site is linked to Maulana Masood Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist, and Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, involved in the murder of journalist Daniel Pearl.

“The strike was a necessary and proportionate part of our response,” Misri affirmed.

Concluding the briefing, the Foreign Secretary emphasized India’s commitment to a firm, proportionate, and responsible response to Pakistani aggression. “Pakistan’s duplicity and disinformation will not go unchallenged,” he declared, reaffirming India’s unity and rejection of attempts to incite communal division through information warfare.