Following a series of strikes by India on what it claims were militant infrastructure sites, Pakistan has reacted strongly, stating that India has "ignited an inferno in the region". The strikes, which occurred early Wednesday, May 7, 2025, hit multiple locations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Pakistan's eastern Punjab province, resulting in casualties and heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the strikes as an "act of war" and vowed a "befitting reply". The Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting echoed this sentiment, stating that the strikes "will not go unanswered" and that "the temporary pleasure of India will be replaced by enduring grief". Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told AFP that retaliation had already begun and that Pakistan would "not take long to settle the score".
The strikes, dubbed "Operation Sindoor" by India, were reportedly a response to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, where militants killed 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese national. India has accused Pakistan of being involved in the Pahalgam attack, a charge Pakistan denies, calling for a neutral investigation.
Pakistan has also claimed that the Indian strikes hit infrastructure at a hydroelectric dam in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, calling it a "clear violation of international law". India's Defense Ministry stated that the strikes targeted sites "where terrorist attacks against India have been planned" and emphasized that the actions were "focused, measured, and non-escalatory in nature," with no Pakistani military facilities targeted.
In response to the strikes, Pakistan closed schools in Kashmir and the Punjab province. Several flights were canceled or diverted out of Pakistan's airspace. Pakistani officials also claimed that their air force shot down five Indian jets in retaliation, with some debris landing in villages in India-controlled Kashmir. India has denied these claims.
The international community has expressed concern over the escalating tensions, with the United States and China calling for de-escalation. The situation has raised fears of a wider military conflict between the two countries.
The recent events have further strained the already tense relationship between India and Pakistan. Following the Pahalgam attack, both countries took measures to downgrade diplomatic ties, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, terminating a visa-free travel regime, and closing the Attari border crossing. Pakistan has denied India's claims of involvement in the attack and has accused India of "false flag operations".
The current crisis marks a significant escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan, with potential implications for regional peace and stability. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether the two countries can de-escalate the situation and prevent further conflict.
