Pakistan Army says India launches air strikes, vows to respond

<p>Islamabad, May 7 (PTI): The Pakistan Army said that India launched air strikes against the country early Wednesday, vowing to respond to the attack.</p><p>Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that missiles fired by India targeted Kotli and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Bahawalpur in Punjab province.</p><p>Some time ago, India launched air strikes on the Subhanullah mosque in Bahwalpur’s Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air, he told ARY News channel.</p><p>”All of our air force jets are airborne. This cowardly and shameful attack was carried out from within India’s airspace. They were never allowed to come and intrude into the space of Pakistan,” he said.</p><p>“Let me say it unequivocally: Pakistan will respond to this at a time and place of its own choosing. This heinous provocation will not go unanswered,” he added.</p><p>He said that damage assessments are being done and more information will be provided later.</p><p>This “temporary happiness” that India has achieved with this attack will be replaced with enduring grief, he added.</p><p>Officials later said that the Indian strikes targeted five places in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bagh in PoK and in the Bahawalpur and Muridke areas of Punjab.</p><p>According to security sources, the strike resulted in the killing of a child while a woman and a man sustained serious injuries in the attack at the mosque in Ahmadpur Sharqia area of Bahawalpur.</p><p>Pakistan has closed its airspace for all air traffic for 48 hours.</p><p>Ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.</p><p>India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operational land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties following the terror attack.</p><p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the top defence brass that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the attack. PTI SH ZH ZH</p><p><i>(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)</i></p>