Pakistan’s National Security Committee has granted full authority to its military to respond to Indian airstrikes, missile, and drone attacks, which it condemned as “an unprovoked declaration of war” and a blatant violation of its sovereignty. A statement accused India of breaching international law and warned that any attack on Pakistani citizens or territory would be met with a firm response.

India’s “Operation Sindoor” targeted the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, killing 14 individuals, including 10 relatives of Jaish leader Masood Azhar. Among them were Azhar’s elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, and others close to the terror chief. The missile strike is being described as one of the deadliest in the campaign.

India claims to have killed 70 militants in its operation on Pakistani soil, targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed fighters. However, Pakistan’s ISPR acknowledged 26 deaths and 46 injuries, many of them civilians. In Ahmedpur, 13 people were killed—including two toddlers, seven women, and four men. In Bilal Mosque, Muzaffarabad, two children were injured. Kotli’s Abbas Mosque attack killed two teenagers, and a mother-daughter duo was injured. India has named the assault “Operation Sindoor.”

Gunfire has raged along the LoC since morning, with at least seven reported dead, including two children and a woman, according to PTI. Indian media, however, claim the number is at least ten. Thirty-eight people are said to be critically injured. Local residents near the border are being evacuated. India confirmed that three civilians were killed by Pakistani shelling. Meanwhile, Geo News and Al Jazeera reported that India’s “Chora Complex” military post raised a white flag during Pakistan’s assault.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that at least eight civilians were killed and 33 injured in India’s overnight air raids across six locations. Among the casualties was a young girl killed in Ahmedpur East, where five people died. Several mosques were also hit: Bilal Mosque in Muzaffarabad, Abbas Mosque in Kotli, and another in Muridke. A child was injured and mosque structures were damaged. Even a medical distribution center was reportedly targeted.

In response to India’s military offensive, Pakistan launched counterattacks that have forced the indefinite closure of several northern Indian airports, including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot. All scheduled flights have been cancelled. According to Pakistani military sources, five Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets, one drone, and a brigade headquarters were destroyed in the retaliatory strikes.

Following Indian airstrikes inside Pakistan, cross-border shelling has intensified along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. Loud explosions were heard in Srinagar, although the exact source remains unconfirmed, according to CNN. In Pakistan-administered Kashmir’s Neelum Valley, local resident Jawad Ahmed told The Guardian that shelling continues relentlessly across the border, with mortar rounds being exchanged between military checkpoints on both sides.

In response to India's missile strikes, Pakistan launched a midnight counterattack and destroyed the Indian Army's brigade headquarters. It is reported that Pakistan also shot down multiple Indian fighter jets and a drone. This retaliation came after India carried out “Operation Sindoor,” targeting areas in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Both sides have reported civilian casualties. Pakistan has accused India of cowardly conduct. The current tensions began on April 22, when 26 tourists were killed in an attack in Kashmir.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan condemned India’s strikes, calling them “cowardly attacks” on five locations within Pakistan-administered territory. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he asserted that Pakistan has every right to respond forcefully and is doing so. “The people of Pakistan are standing firmly with our armed forces in facing this aggression,” he wrote. The Prime Minister has also called for an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee at 10:00 AM local time to assess the situation.

In a swift retaliation to India’s missile strikes, the Pakistan Air Force has shot down two Indian fighter jets. According to state-run PTV, all Pakistani aircraft involved in the operation returned safely. “Our armed forces are responding appropriately to enemy aggression,” the channel stated. Around 1:00 AM local time on Wednesday, India launched missile attacks on nine locations inside Pakistan. At least three missiles struck cities in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and two other urban areas, resulting in the deaths of two civilians and injuring more than a dozen others.

Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir has warned that any violation of the country’s sovereignty or territorial integrity will be met with full military retaliation. While stressing Pakistan’s desire for regional and global peace, Munir stated that national dignity and public welfare would be defended at any cost. He highlighted foreign-backed terrorism in Balochistan as the gravest threat, vowing to foil all conspiracies aimed at destabilizing the province. He also noted that several government-led socio-economic projects in the region have begun yielding results.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that Indian Rafale fighter jets were forced to retreat due to Pakistan's electronic jamming systems. This marks the first time Pakistan has publicly acknowledged the use of electronic warfare to counter Rafale aircraft. According to Pakistani defense sources, the incident occurred between the night of April 29 and 30. The Rafale, procured from France, is currently India’s most advanced fighter jet.

Following India’s earlier ban on Pakistani ships using its ports, Pakistan has reciprocated by prohibiting Indian-flagged vessels from entering Pakistani ports. The government said the move was necessary to protect national security and economic interests. Pakistani ships will also no longer dock at Indian ports. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Pakistan’s exports to India—mainly pharmaceuticals, fruits, and oilseeds—made up less than 0.0001% of India’s total imports in FY 2024-25.

Pakistani diplomat Mohammad Faisal accused India of reneging on its commitment to a plebiscite in Kashmir as mandated by UN resolutions. He said recognizing Kashmir as a disputed territory is essential for peace and called for a resolution through dialogue. Faisal dismissed Indian accusations regarding Pahalgam as baseless and reiterated Pakistan's demand for an impartial international investigation. He added that India currently deploys 900,000 troops in Jammu and Kashmir and maintains a belligerent stance toward Pakistan.

Following the Pahalgam attack, cross-border firing was reported near the Tutmar Gali post in India-controlled Kashmir and the Lepa sector in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Though no casualties have been confirmed, local residents—particularly in Karnah, Kupwara—have begun rebuilding underground bunkers at their own expense. The activity reflects renewed fears on both sides of the Line of Control, as memories of past destruction resurface among civilians.