Pakistan minister says no nuclear body meeting after military operation against India

Pakistan minister says no nuclear body meeting after military operation against India

Deputy PM says Pakistan operating defensively, no choice but to retaliate

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said his country has “exhibited a lot of patience”, but it had “no choice” but to retaliate to India’s strikes over recent days.

“Even on the first day, we stayed in our space and attacked those jets that entered Pakistan, five of which we shot down,” he told Pakistani news outlet Geo News.

“There were clear instructions not to be on the offensive. Our patience has been tested and has run out, and the actions that have been taken are retaliatory and defensive, the world can see that,” he said.

“Our civil military leadership made the decision following the attack on Nur Khan Airbase. No more patience. We are just giving them a response,” Dar said.

Rubio urges India, Pakistan to restore communication to ‘avoid miscalculation’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged India and Pakistan to find ways to de-escalate the growing military conflict between the neighbouring nuclear-powered nations.

In separate phone calls to India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, Rubio urged the two countries to communicate directly, offering US help to hold talks.

Rubio “emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation”, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Indian authorities say at least 22 killed since escalation started as thousands flee border areas

Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff, reporting from India’s capital New Delhi, said the Indian Army has called the strikes by Pakistan a “blatant escalation”.

“It said that Pakistan has used drones and other munitions to strike and the Indian Army has engaged and destroyed these drones,” Shariff said.

“This is the initial response, but a more detailed response about the loud explosions we’ve heard throughout the area and heavy artillery fire in the border areas is expected shortly,” she said.

“India said at least 22 people have died since the escalation in these attacks and dozens of people injured,” she added.

“And when we talk of the loss of life there’s also loss of livelihoods. Remember that thousands of people have been evacuated from villages in the border areas for safety.”

Pakistan retaliated after ‘great provocations’ by India: Islamabad analyst

The latest military escalation between India and Pakistan could be only the first phase of a bigger conflict, said Imtiaz Gul, a political and security analyst based in Islamabad.

The “great provocations” for Pakistan were the Indian army’s launching of attacks by fighter jets and drones for several days before Pakistan’s response early on Saturday.

“This is what constitutes the grounds for Pakistan’s retaliation. It’s going to be very dangerous if the Indians don’t relent and stop their war propaganda,” Gul told Al Jazeera.

“So this was the last trigger Pakistan needed to launch attacks,” he said.

Gul added that the escalation is somewhat reminiscent of previous major conflicts in 1971 and 1999, but this time it has been revolving around air attacks so far rather than ground offensives.

India accuses Pakistan of attacking religious sites, residential areas

India’s Defence Ministry has accused Pakistan of targeting civilian infrastructure during overnight attacks as part of operation Bunyan Marsoos.

“(Pakistan targeted) places of worship like the famous Shambhu Temple and residential areas in Jammu. Multiple armed drones have been sent through the night, endangering civilians and religious sites,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The Indian Armed Forces remain vigilant and are committed to defending the sovereignty of the nation,” the ministry added.

Pakistan says ‘ball in India’s court’ on de-escalating: Report

Pakistan will consider peace if India stops military action, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday.

Dar told Pakistani broadcaster Geo News that he said the “ball is in India’s court” in his conversation with Rubio. “War is not our priority and we genuinely want peace but without hegemony of any country,” said Dar, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister.

Dar said his interactions with world leaders, including Rubio and the Saudi foreign minister, on Saturday morning had been “positive” and that he hopes talks with India can begin.

Asked about contact between the two countries’ militaries after the latest round of attacks, Dar said “messages have been exchanged on both sides”.

Pakistan’s defence chief describes need for ‘urgency’ in response to India attacks

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has spoken to local media outlets about the ongoing situation.

Here are some of his comments:

Pakistan is not ruling out more attacks by India.

The national security advisers from both sides spoke on Thursday.
    
There was an urgency and need from Pakistan to respond to Indian attacks.
    
The naval forces are ready for any attack from sea.
    
No fighter jets from Pakistan have been damaged or destroyed.

Mix of celebration, apprehension in Pakistan as military response to India launched

Faras Ghani, Reporting from Karachi, Pakistan

On the streets of Pakistan, the attacks on Indian military targets this morning brought about a sense of relief and jubilation for some.

People across the country were constantly questioning the lack of major military action by Pakistani forces in the wake of the deadly attacks carried out by India over the past few days.

There were calls for a “show of strength” by the military.

However, as the conflict continues and intensifies, there is also anxiety, apprehension and a sense of panic, especially on the eastern side of the country near the border with India, as well as in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjacent to the capital, Islamabad.

People continue to fear India’s missile and drone attacks, the former continued in the early hours of this morning, while Pakistan’s airspace remains closed.

Blasts heard in Kashmir’s Srinagar, Baramulla

Two loud blasts have been heard in Indian-administered Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar near the airport and the local headquarters of the army, according to an official and residents.

Two other blasts were also heard in Kashmir’s Baramulla town, an official and residents told Reuters news agency, as fighting continued between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan.

India says Pakistan targeting civilians, increasing troop deployment along border

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says Pakistan’s claims about destroyed military infrastructure during attacks over recent hours are “completely false”.

“Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems etc, being attacked and destroyed – completely false,” Misri said at a news conference, as he accused Pakistan of targeting “civilians and civilian infrastructure”.

Speaking alongside Misri was wing commander Vyomika Singh, who said Pakistan’s army has been observed to be moving its troops forward, “indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation”.

“Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,” Singh said.

Pakistan closes airspace until Sunday noon

Pakistan airspace has been shut after its military said India had launched a series of attacks on airbases.

“Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for all kinds of flights until Sunday 12:00pm” or (07:00 GMT on Sunday), the statement from the country’s aviation authority said.

‘Missile-like object’ lands in Srinagar’s Dal Lake

Loud explosions have been reported in the city of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, with the Indian media saying a “missile-like object landed deep inside” the Dal Lake, a prominent tourist attraction in the area.

Smoke bellowed from the surface of the lake when the object landed, officials cited by the Press Trust of India news agency said, adding that debris fished out from the lake is being analysed.

Another suspected object was recovered from Lasjan on the outskirts of the city, while a “suspicious metal object resembling parts of a missile” was reportedly found at a village near the Chintpurni temple in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district, the agency reported.

Pakistan minister says no nuclear body meeting after military operation against India

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says the National Command Authority, the top military and civil body overseeing the country’s nuclear arsenal, has not held any meetings.

“Nor or is any such meeting scheduled,” he told ARY TV.

“This thing that you have spoken about (nuclear option) is present, but let’s not talk about it – we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldn’t even discuss it in the immediate context,” Asif said.

“Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down.”

Indian army claims hit on ‘terrorist launchpads’

The Indian army says it launched attacks in response to “Pakistan’s misadventures of attempted drone strikes”.

The strikes took place close to the Line of Control in contested Kashmir.

The army claimed the launchpads that were struck “were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces in the past”.

It added: “The Indian army’s swift and decisive action has dealt a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities.”

Its claims could not be independently verified.

Saudi foreign minister speaks to Indian, Pakistani counterparts

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia says the kingdom’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, has spoken on the phone separately with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Ishaq Dar, his respective counterparts from India and Pakistan.

In a short statement, it said discussions focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions, halt ongoing military confrontations and promote calm.

The Saudi foreign minister also “emphasised the kingdom’s commitment to security and stability of the region, and its close and balanced relations with both friendly countries”, the statement added.

At least 13 killed, 50 wounded in Indian shelling of Pakistan-administered Kashmir: Official

Mazhar Hussain Shah, spokesperson for the government in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, has told Al Jazeera that at least 13 people have been killed due to Indian shelling in various areas across the region since last night.

Shah said a child under 10 is among the dead.

More than 50 people have also been wounded, he added.

‘Ground beneath my feet shook’: Srinagar resident

Residents of Srinagar say they were jolted by loud explosions at around noon, deepening fears in a region already on the edge.

“I was walking through a locality near the Srinagar international airport when the blast went off. The ground beneath my feet shook,” Muhammad Tahseen, a pharmacist, told Al Jazeera. “It caused chaos. People are scared. There is a strong sense that tensions could escalate further.”

Electricity has also been cut off across the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Muhammad Younis, a 39-year-old banker, said he has not slept for two nights.

“Everyone is terrified of drone strikes, especially after what happened in Jammu,” he said, referring to Thursday evening’s drone sightings and cross-border fire near the southern border with Pakistan.

“My two children are traumatised. I have lived through the conflict since the 1990s, but this feels different. It’s as if we are bracing for something worse,” Younis said. “Civilians will bear the brunt of this violence they never asked for. We are sitting inside our homes, anxious, fearful, and uncertain of what the next hour might bring.”

Here’s a quick look at the latest developments:

At least 13 people have been killed and over 50 wounded in Indian attacks on Pakistan-administered Kashmir since last night, Pakistan officials say.
    
Pakistan says it has targeted multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in the north, in response to “Indian aggression” that included attacks on Pakistani airbases.
    
India says there was limited damage to equipment and staff at air force stations at the Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj areas.
    
The Indian military said there were several high-speed missile attacks on several airbases in Punjab, adding that it had responded to the attacks.
    
Explosions have been heard in Indian-administered Kashmir and missile fragments were found in other areas.
    
Raj Kumar Thappa, a district commissioner in Rajouri town in Indian-administered Kashmir, was killed after his residence was hit by Pakistani shelling, top regional official says.

Hajj flights cancelled in Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee has announced the suspension of all scheduled Hajj flights from Indian-administered Kashmir until May 14, citing the ongoing military escalation between India and Pakistan.

“Pilgrims are advised to remain patient and await further instructions,” the official notification said.

Authorities said any alternative arrangement or revised schedules will be communicated to the pilgrims. The annual Muslim pilgrimage will be held in Saudi Arabia early next month.