As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, anxiety is growing among civilians—particularly those with weddings planned in the coming days.
Gurinder Singh, a resident of Muktsar town, voiced his concern over his nephew’s wedding, scheduled for May 12 in Punjab’s Fazilka district.
“We are all perplexed. Everything is ready, and the functions are scheduled to begin on May 10, but the current situation is making us nervous,” he said.
He added that blackout drills had already begun in the area, further increasing the unease. “The situation escalated further on Wednesday with the execution of Operation Sindoor. Adding to our worries, schools in the border districts have been ordered shut as a precautionary measure,” Gurinder said.
The owner of a popular wedding hall in the region echoed similar sentiments. “Just a few weddings are usually held in May. However, those who have planned them are definitely anxious,” he noted.
Despite the rising concern, officials have urged the public to remain calm, assuring that there is no need to panic.
Terror dens hit with precision, no civilian harmed: Rajnath
Hours after the Indian military struck terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh sent out a firm message to the world that the country exercised its right to respond in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 innocent citizens on its soil.
Singh, the first minister to speak publicly after Operation Sindoor in the early hours on Wednesday, said the Indian armed forces had scripted history by acting with precision, precaution and compassion to destroy camps used to train terrorists in Pakistan and PoK.
Earlier in the day, Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the operation and the PM later lauded the armed forces in a Cabinet meeting he chaired at his residence. The PM is learnt to have told the Cabinet that the national response to the Pahalgam attack was “necessary and had to be undertaken”. He saluted the forces for a precision strike the nation had been waiting for.
The entire Cabinet hailed the “non-escalatory, pre-emptive, and responsive” nature of the strikes by the Indian military and congratulated PM Modi for his leadership.
Before the Cabinet meeting today, the Cabinet Committee on Security also met, its third since the Pahalgam attack. The PM later met and briefed President Droupadi Murmu, the supreme commander of the armed forces, on the operation, even as the government scheduled an all-party meeting to discuss the situation on Thursday. The meeting is expected to pass a resolution backing Operation Sindoor.
Though the PM did not make a public comment on Operation Sindoor, Rajnath Singh spoke on the government’s behalf, stating that India used its right to respond after the attack that was perpetrated on its soil.
“We have undertaken this operation extremely consciously and wisely. This operation was launched with the sole target of destroying the morale of terrorists by targeting their camps and infrastructure. I salute the valour of our armed forces,” said Singh, addressing the 66th Raising Day event of the Border Roads Organisation at Manekshaw Centre here today.
“During Operation Sindoor, we followed the path shown by Lord Hanuman, who, while destroying the Ashok Vatika in Lanka, only targeted those who had targeted innocent people. We also targeted those who targeted us,” said Singh, even as the world urged de-escalation.
The minister reiterated India’s position that no civilians were hit. “The armed forces acted with precision, precaution and compassion to destroy camps used to train terrorists in Pakistan and PoK. As per plan, the targets were destroyed and no civilian population was harmed,” Singh said, rejecting Pakistan’s claims about civilian casualties.
The Defence Minister said the forces displayed sensitivity to ensure civilian populations were not affected. “I congratulate the soldiers and officers. I also congratulate PM Modi for boosting the morale of the forces,” said Rajnath Singh.
ndia on Wednesday carried out precision attacks on the core of Pakistan’s terror infrastructure, targeting nine sites, including terrorist training camps, launch pads and headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba, in a 25-minute strike codenamed Operation Sindoor.
The armed forces used a mix of air-launched missiles, self-destructing Kamikaze drones and artillery fire from the ground. The retaliatory action follows the “savage killing” of 25 male tourists, gunned down in front of their wives and families, and one local guide in the higher reaches of Kashmir’s Pahalgam town on April 22.
Sources said at least 70 terrorists were killed at the sites — four in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied J&K. India chose the targets based on “credible intelligence” about terror camps operating at these sites, camouflaged as health centres to evade detection and circumvent sanctions from international organisations, including the Financial Action Task Force, officials said.
India said it was ready to respond to any escalation initiated by its nuclear-armed neighbour. “A little while ago, the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement released at 1.44 am.
The airspace over north-western India—Punjab, J&K, Rajasthan and Haryana—continues to be restricted for civilian flights as fighter jets of both countries are engaged in combat patrolling and air defence mechanisms to protect vital installations.
The Indian Air Force jets carried out strikes at Muridke and Bahawalpur terror hubs while the Army hit camps at Shawai Nalla and Syedna Belal in Muzaffarabad. Gulpur and Abbas terror camps in Kotli, Barnala camp in Bhimber, Sarjal and Mehmoona Joya camps in Sialkot were also targeted.
At a briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India exercised its right to respond to and pre-empt cross-border threats. “The actions were measured, non-escalatory, proportionate and responsible. They focused on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across to India,” said Misri.
Col Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who accompanied Misri, said no civilian targets or military installations were hit. “The operation was carried out between 1.05 am and 1.30 am on Wednesday,” said Colonel Qureshi, showing videos of the strikes recorded by Indian surveillance systems.
Wing Commander Singh said the Indian armed forces were “fully prepared to respond to Pakistani misadventures, which could escalate the situation”.
“It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the Pahalgam attack be brought to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed since the massacre, there was no demonstrable step from Pakistan to act against the terror infrastructure on its territory or on the territory under its control. Instead, all it has indulged in are denials and allegations,” said Misri.
The Foreign Secretary said Pakistan-trained terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Toiba carried out the Pahalgam attack. “The attack was clearly driven by the objective of undermining normalcy returning to J&K. In particular, it was designed to impact the mainstay of the economy (tourism), with a record 23 million tourists visiting the Valley last year,” he said.
Lashkar offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) had claimed responsibility for the attack. Misri said India had given inputs about the TRF in its half-yearly report to the monitoring team of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee in May and November 2024, bringing out its role as a cover for Pakistan-based terrorist groups.
The LeT’s nerve centre in Muridke, about 30 km from Lahore, was hit four times in quick succession during the operation, said the officials. Muridke, the base of the terror group since 1990, is where Ajmal Kasab and nine other terrorists were trained ahead of the 26/11 terror siege of Mumbai. Besides, 26/11 accused David Headley and Tahawwur Rana also visited the LeT hub.
The Markaz (centre) Taiba at Muridke, dubbed a “terror factory”, is the most important training centre for the LeT. Recruits, officials said, are brainwashed, given physical training and a two-week-long indoctrination course. Around 1,000 students in different courses get enrolled in this camp, they said. The other big ticket target was Bahawalpur, which became the hub of the JeM after the release of Masood Azhar in exchange for the hijacked passengers of IC-814 in 1999.
The group has since been involved in a series of terror attacks in India, including the Parliament attack in 2001, the strike on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in 2000, the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot in 2016 and the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019.
Pakistan continues shelling along LoC in J&K after India’s Operation Sindoor
On Wednesday, the Poonch sector in Jammu was the worst-hit, recording 13 deaths during intense shelling by Pakistani troops
People gather near a damaged property after alleged heavy firing and shelling by Pakistan military overnight across the Line of Control and International Border, at Irwan Khanetar village in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir, Wednesday, May 7, 2025. PTI
Pakistani troops resorted to cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday night, a day after the Indian armed forces targeted terror infrastructure in the neighbouring country as part of ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Army officials stated that during the night of May 7–8, Pakistani Army posts resorted to “unprovoked fire using small arms and artillery guns” across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Akhnoor sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The Indian Army responded proportionately,” they said.
The shelling, which continued through Tuesday and Wednesday night, resulted in at least 13 fatalities and left dozens injured, following heavy artillery attacks by Pakistan that shook towns along the LoC in north Kashmir and Jammu’s Poonch region.
Local residents reported that they had not witnessed such intense shelling in recent years.
Early Wednesday morning, India officially announced that it had struck terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
In response, the Indian Army reported that Pakistan initiated unprovoked firing, including artillery shelling, from posts across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border opposite Jammu and Kashmir. “We are responding to the shelling in equal measure,” the Army stated.
The targets set under Operation Sindoor were destroyed with precision as per plan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, hours after the Indian military carried out strikes against nine terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“India has exercised its ‘right to respond’ to the attack on its soil. Our action has been taken very thoughtfully and in a measured manner,” Singh said while lauding the retaliation by armed forces against the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed.
“We only killed those who killed our innocent,” Singh said at the inauguration of Border Roads Organisation’s 50 infrastructure projects across six states and two Union territories.
“With the aim of breaking the morale of the terrorists, this action has been limited only to their camps and other infrastructure,” he said.
The Indian Army has acted with precision, alertness and sensitivity, Singh said, adding, “We have shown sensitivity by not allowing any civilian population to be affected at all.”
“With ‘Operation Sindoor’, our forces have given a befitting reply by destroying terrorist training camps…I salute the bravery of our armed forces,” the defence minister said.
First wave of our decisive action is complete. Our Armed Forces successfully struck their intended targets with precision & courage. TIME to brace ourselves for next phases !! It’s vital that we remain vigilant & responsible 🇮🇳
Note following 🙏 :
1 Propaganda Offensive : Pakistan & it’s intelligence agency, ISI, will now unleash a massive propaganda war — both to seek international sympathy & to mislead us. Expect a flood of disturbing photos, emotional videos & fabricated documentaries DOCTORED to brainwash masses. Please DO NOT forward, share or believe any unverified content circulating on social media & messaging platforms.
2 Information Discipline: Stay updated only through official channels — the Ministry of Defence, PIB & reputed national media. Avoid adding noise to the information ecosystem by speculating or spreading unverified updates.
3 Stand Firm with the Nation: This is a moment of national unity. Extend unwavering support to 🇮🇳 Military, Govt. & National security agencies. Avoid internal blame games & divisive discussions.
Identify & Monitor Anti-India Elements : Be observant within your neighborhood, workplace & social circles. Take note of individuals expressing open hostility or sympathy towards the enemy. Maintain a discreet record, as formal reporting channels will soon be made available to escalate such threats.
Guard Against Internal Disturbances: The enemy may attempt to create internal chaos incite riots, stoke communal tensions. Do NOT engage in Hindu – Muslim debates or allow divisive narratives to fester. In case of any local disturbance, prioritize safety & immediately inform concerned authorities.
Do Not Panic – Trust National Systems : Stay calm & DO NOT indulge in unnecessary panic buying or hoarding of food, medicines, or other essentials. There may be fake messages generated by Pakistan or It’s sympathizers about shortages of essential commodities or cash. DO NOT overreact.
Our country has robust systems in place & incidents like this do not disrupt essential supplies. Similarly, avoid withdrawing large sums of cash unnecessarily.
Banks & ATMs will continue to function normally. Trust in the resilience of our national infrastructure.
Prepare for Retaliation : There is a high probability of retaliation from Pakistan within the next 48 hours. This may include ground-to-ground missile attacks or Border Action Team (BAT) strikes along the LoC & IB. Stay alert, especially if you are in border regions.
Role in Psychological Warfare : Remember, every Indian citizen is a frontline soldier in psychological warfare. Stay calm, resilient & keep your morale high. Do not fall PREY to fear – mongers or fake news. Your mental strength is as crucial as the bravery of our soldiers.
Cyber Security Precautions : Be wary of phishing links, fake websites & suspicious emails / messages claiming to show exclusive footage or news. Such tactics are often used by enemy cyber cells to gather intelligence or spread malware.
Report Suspicious Activity : Immediately report any suspicious movements, unidentified objects & potential threats to local law enforcement or security agencies. Your timely action can save lives.
We once again appeal to your patriotism — please share this message as widely as possible. Let us all be aware & stand together, stronger as ever.
🇮🇳 Jai Hind 🇮🇳
Meet Col. Sophia Qureshi & Wg. Cdr. Vyomika Singh, The Women Officers Who Briefed On Op Sindoor
