RASC News Agency: In a sharp escalation of hostilities between South Asia’s two nuclear-armed powers, the Pakistani military has confirmed that three cities Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, and Kohli were struck by Indian missile attacks in the early hours of Wednesday, May 7. Citing Dawn, a leading Pakistani daily, Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for the Pakistan Armed Forces, stated that the missiles were launched at approximately 1:00 a.m. from Indian airspace. He clarified, however, that Indian aircraft did not physically breach Pakistan’s airspace during the assault.
Speaking in an interview with ARY News, General Chaudhry reported that the missile strikes targeted civilian infrastructure. Among the sites hit was a mosque in the Ahmad East district of Bahawalpur. Urban areas in Kohli and Muzaffarabad also suffered damage, although a comprehensive assessment of the destruction remains pending. Condemning the attack in the strongest terms, Chaudhry denounced it as a “cowardly act” and issued a stern warning that Pakistan’s armed forces would deliver a “measured and appropriate response at a time and location of their choosing.” He further affirmed that Pakistan’s defense systems are on full alert and prepared for any further escalation.
In the immediate aftermath of the strikes, reports emerged of widespread disruptions to power infrastructure and loud explosions echoing through the mountainous regions surrounding Muzaffarabad, intensifying fears of a broader military confrontation. These developments unfold against a backdrop of rapidly deteriorating Indo-Pakistani relations, exacerbated by the deadly April 22 attack in the Pahalgam tourist district, which resulted in 26 fatalities. Although no group has claimed responsibility for that assault, the atmosphere of mistrust and mutual suspicion particularly over the disputed Kashmir region has once again reignited simmering tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.
