"New low even for Pakistan": Vikram Misri condemns targeting of places of worship along Line of Control

New Delhi [India], May 9 : Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned Pakistan for deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including schools and places of worship. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri criticised Pakistan for intentionally shelling gurdwaras, churches, and temples along the Line of Control (LoC), describing the attacks as "a new low even for Pakistan."

On Pakistan targeting schools and religious places along the LoC, Misri during the press briefing on Friday said, "During heavy shelling across the LoC in the early morning of May 7 , a shell fired from Pakistan landed just behind the Christ School in Poonch. The shell hit the home of two students of the school, who unfortunately lost their lives and their parents sustained injuries."

"Several school staff and locals took refuge in an underground hall of the school during the shelling by Pakistan. The school was fortunately closed, otherwise, more losses would have occurred. Pakistan is targeting and shelling places of worship with a particular design, including gurdwaras, churches and temples. This is a new low even for Pakistan," he said.

Misri also slammed Pakistan for targeting Indian cities, including Amritsar, in a series of actions aimed at both civilian and military infrastructure. Misri dismissed Pakistan's claims that India was attacking its own territory as "preposterous and outrageous."

He also condemned Pakistan's attempt to spread disinformation about a drone strike on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, calling it a blatant lie.

Addressing a press briefing on Friday, Misri said, "Instead of owning up to its actions, Pakistan made the preposterous and outrageous claims that it is the Indian armed forces that are targeting its own cities like Amritsar and trying to blame Pakistan. They are well-versed in such actions as their history would show... Pakistan spread disinformation that India targeted the Nankama Sahib Gurdwara through a drone attack, which is yet another blatant lie... Pakistan is trying desperately to impart a communal hue to the situation with an intention to create a communal discord..."

Misri strongly condemned Pakistan's "provocative and escalatory actions," stating that the attacks were deliberately aimed at Indian cities, including civilian infrastructure, alongside military establishments.

"These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan last night were targeted at Indian cities and civilian infrastructure in addition to military establishments. Indian armed forces responded proportionately, adequately, and responsibly... The official and blatantly farsical denial of these attacks that Pakistan carried out, by the Pakistani state machinery is another example of their duplicity and the new depths they are plumbing to," Misri said.

Addressign the same briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed across 36 locations, with several being shot down by Indian forces using both kinetic and non-kinetic methods, with initial investigations suggesting the drones were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models.

Colonel Qureshi said during the press briefing, "On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy-calibre weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations."

She added, "The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence. Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones..."

Escalating its tensions with India, Pakistan targeted Jammu using Hamas-style missiles to target multiple areas on Thursday, defence sources had told ANI.

The sources said the attack resembled a Hamas-style operation in Israel, where multiple cheap rockets were used to target cities.

Pakistan's attempted retaliation came in the wake of India's Operation Sindoor, where the Indian armed forces targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday.

The operation was a direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Earlier on Thursday, the Indian Army had shot down more than 50 Pakistani drones during a large-scale counter-drone operation along the LoC and International Borders (IB), sources told ANI.

The Indian Armed Forces also successfully neutralised Pakistan military's attempts at a large-scale drone and missile attack on multiple Indian military installations across Northern and Western India during the night of May 7-8, and an Air Defence system at Lahore was neutralised.

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