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25-minute operation targeted 9 terror camps in Pakistan, ready to tackle escalation: Govt
India exercised its right to respond, says Foreign Secretary Misri
Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service
India on Wednesday announced that it had launched military strikes on nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) during a 25-minute operation, employing a combination of land and air strikes.
The government emphasised that it is fully prepared to respond to any escalation initiated by its western, nuclear-armed neighbor.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, referencing the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, stated, “India exercised its right to respond, to pre-empt, and to deter further such cross-border attacks.”
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, Misri said at the press briefing.
Here’s the full text of Foreign Secretary’s statement on Operation Sindoor
Military officials – Col Sophia Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh – were part of the briefing.
Col Qureshi said, “no civilian targets or military installations have been hit.”
The operation was carried out between 1:05 am and 1:30 am on Wednesday, Col Qureshi said, while showing videos of the strikes recorded by Indian air-borne surveillance.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “Indian armed forces are fully prepared to respond to Pakistani misadventures, if any, that will escalate the situation”.
The strikes were undertaken through precision capability, niche technology and a careful selection of warheads was ensured. The point of impact in each of the target was a specific building or a group of buildings, all the targets were neutralised with clinical efficiency, Wing Commander Singh added.
Giving an overview, Foreign Secretary Misri referred to past decisions — including holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance — and said, “It was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the April 22 attack be brought to justice”.
Despite a fortnight having passed since the attacks, there has been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control. Instead, all it has indulged in are denials and allegations, he said.
Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending. There was thus a compulsion both to deter and to pre-empt, Misri said, explaining the rationale behind the military strikes.
He said the Pakistan-trained terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out the savage attack at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
The attack was clearly driven by the objective of undermining normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir. In particular, it was designed to impact the mainstay of the economy, tourism, with a record 23 million tourists visiting the valley last year, said Misri.
The calculation, presumably, was that harming growth and development in the Union Territory would help keep it backward and create fertile ground for continued cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.
Misri said a group calling itself “The Resistance Front” has claimed responsibility for the attack. This group is a front for the UN-proscribed Pakistani terrorist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba. It is notable that India had given inputs about the TRF in the 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.
India had informed the monitoring team about Lashkar and Jaish-e-Mohammad operating through small terror groups such as the TRF. Pakistan’s pressure to remove references to TRF in the April 25 UN Security Council Press Statement is notable in this regard.
Investigations into the Pahalgam terror attack have brought out the communication notes of terrorists in and to Pakistan. The claims made by the Resistance Front and their reposting by known social media handles of the Lashkar-e-Taiba speak for themselves, Misri said.
Identification of the attackers based on eyewitness accounts, as well as other information available to law enforcement agencies, has also progressed. Our intelligence has developed an accurate picture of the planners and backers of this team, he added.
PUNJAB GOVERNOR ADMINISTERS OATH TO PPSC CHAIRMAN IN PRESENCE OF CM BHAGWANT SINGH MANN
Chandigarh, May 7
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Wednesday administered the oath of office to the newly appointed Chairman Major General (Retired) Vinayak Saini in the presence of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Chief Secretary KAP Sinha conducted the proceedings of the swearing-in-ceremony at the Punjab Raj Bhawan here.
Congratulating new PPSC Chief,
Bhagwant Singh Mann assured fulsome support and cooperation to PPSC for selection of deserving candidates on various posts in a transparent manner.
Commissioned in the Corps of Engineers in December 1987, Major General (Retired) Saini belongs to Hoshiarpur and lives in Mohali. He retired from the Indian Army in October last year.
Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Principal Secretary to Governor VP Singh, Principal Secretary to CM Ravi Bhagat and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
JeM chief Masood Azhar says 10 members of his family killed in missile attack on his HQ
Bahawalpur became the hub of the JeM after the release of Azhar in exchange for the hijacked passengers of IC-814 in 1999
Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar acknowledged on Wednesday that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in India’s missile attack on the outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur.
A statement attributed to Azhar said those killed in the attack on Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur included the JeM chief’s elder sister and her husband, a nephew and his wife, another niece, and five children from his extended family.
The statement further mentioned that the attack also claimed the lives of one of Azhar’s close associates and his mother, along with two other close companions.
“This act of brutality has broken all boundaries. There should be no expectation of mercy now,” it added.
Bahawalpur became the hub of the JeM after the release of Azhar in exchange for the hijacked passengers of IC-814 in 1999.
In May 2019, the United Nations designated Azhar a “global terrorist” after China lifted its hold on a proposal to blacklist the JeM chief, a decade after New Delhi approached the world body for the first time on the issue.
The elusive Azhar, who has not been seen in public since April 2019, is believed to be hiding in a “safe place” in Bahawalpur.
The group has 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.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that all those injured in the Bahawalpur attack have been shifted to Victoria Hospital and given the best treatment.
The Pakistan military said that 26 people were killed and 46 others injured in the attack.
Violence Will Increase in J&K After Operation Sindoor
PAKISTAN ATTACKED POONCH GURDWARA
Chandigarh, Amritsar Airports Completely Closed Until Further Notice; IAF Takes Full Control
Airports Closed: Chandigarh International Airport is closed until further notice following India’s Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror camps in Pakistan. This precautionary measure has suspended all domestic and international flights, affecting numerous travellers.
Reported by:Poviet KaurEdited by:Avni Arya
Updated May 7, 2025, 14:43 IST
Chandigarh, Amritsar Airports Closed Until Further Notice (representational)
Chandigarh Airport: The Chandigarh International Airport has been shut down until further notice, following India’s bold and coordinated assault, Operation Sindoor, on terror camps in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The closure, announced as a precautionary measure, has led to a complete suspension of both domestic and international flights, impacting hundreds of travellers across the region.
“All Flights Suspended Until Further Notice”
Ajay Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of Chandigarh International Airport Ltd (CHIAL), confirmed the indefinite suspension of operations, “All domestic and international flights will remain suspended until further notice.”The Indian Air Force has now taken full control of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport in Chandigarh to ensure military preparedness, amid concerns of possible retaliatory strikes from across the border.
Amritsar Airport Also Closed; 22 Flights Cancelled
Security has also been heightened at Sri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport in Amritsar, which lies just 32 kilometres from the Pakistan border. The airport was initially ordered to remain closed until 10 AM, but the closure has now been extended indefinitely.“All 22 flights scheduled for today from Amritsar have been cancelled,” confirmed ADCP-2 Shrivinaila, adding,
“Orders have been issued to keep the airport closed until further notice. Passengers have been informed about the flight cancellations via messages.”The proximity of Amritsar to Muridke in Pakistan — just 60 km away — where one of the key terror targets was struck during Operation Sindoor, has played a major role in the heightened alert.
Operation Sindoor: What Prompted the Closure?
The airspace restrictions and airport closures follow a massive overnight military offensive, dubbed Operation Sindoor, which saw the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force strike nine terror sites in Pakistan’s Punjab province and PoK. The strikes reportedly killed 80 to 90 terrorists, including 25–30 each in Bahawalpur and Muridke — known strongholds of terror infrastructure.As per reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally approved the name Operation Sindoor, underlining the mission’s strategic and political gravity.
Nationwide Vigil: Paramilitary on Alert, Airspace Under Watch
In light of potential retaliatory threats, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is keeping a close watch on Indian airspace. Civil aviation services have also been suspended at border airports in Gujarat, including Bhuj, Porbandar, and Rajkot.Meanwhile, leaves of all paramilitary forces have been cancelled to maintain peak readiness. The situation is being closely monitored at the highest levels, with Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan briefing Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the South Block in Delhi.Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Chandigarh News, City and around the world.
Over 200 flights cancelled, 18 airports shut after India strikes Pak terror camps
Air traffic disruptions rippled across Asia as India’s retaliatory strikes in Pakistan and POK led to the shutdown of 18 airports and cancellation of over 200 flights across domestic and international sectors.
Services of several air-carriers took a hit on Wednesday after India launched military strikes in Pakistan. (Representative image)
New Delhi,UPDATED: May 7, 2025 17:54 IST
In Short
- 18 airports, including Srinagar and Chandigarh, temporarily shut
- Airlines like Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet suspended operations
- IndiGo cancelled 160 flights; Delhi airport saw 35 cancellations
Over 200 flights were cancelled and at least 18 airports — including Srinagar, Leh, Amritsar and Chandigarh — were shut temporarily on Wednesday, following missile strikes launched by Indian armed forces in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
The Indian armed forces targeted nine terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, including Jaish-e-Mohammad’s stronghold in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s base in Muridke. The offensive followed the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
The fallout on air traffic was immediate and widespread. Flight operations were suspended across key northern and western airports, including Jammu, Pathankot, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Shimla, Dharamshala and Jamnagar, amid heightened security restrictions.
Ready to ‘wrap’ tensions if India de-escalates: Pakistan Defence Minister Asif
Khawaja Asif also noted that he was not aware of any potential diplomatic engagements or talks being planned between the two countries at this stage
Ubeer Naqushbandi Tribune News Service
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday said Islamabad is open to reducing tensions with India, provided New Delhi chooses to de-escalate the current situation.
His remarks came in the wake of India’s military strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor, conducted in the early hours of Wednesday.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Asif stressed that Pakistan would not initiate hostilities but would respond if provoked.
“We have consistently maintained over the past two weeks that we will not initiate any hostile action against India. However, if we are attacked, we will respond,” he said.
“If India chooses to step back, we are fully prepared to wind down this tension.”
Asif also noted that he was not aware of any potential diplomatic engagements or talks being planned between the two countries at this stage.
India’s strikes targeted nine terror-related sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s marquee tourist resort–Pahalgam, leaving 26 people dead and at least 20 injured.
Pakistan’s security huddle authorises armed forces to take action to avenge Indian strikes
Indian armed forces early on Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor
Pakistan’s National Security Council on Wednesday said the country’s armed forces have been duly authorised to undertake retaliation “at a time, place and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in Indian military strikes.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, which was attended by cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all services chiefs and senior officers to discuss the situation.
Indian armed forces early on Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir under Operation Sindoor.
An NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing” to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in the Indian strikes.
“The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard,” the NSC statement said.
Sharif is set to hold a cabinet meeting and share details with the nation through his address in parliament.
The NSC meeting described the strikes as India’s “unprovoked” and unlawful act of war” and said the NSC “unequivocally condemned” what it called as the blatant violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, “which manifestly constitute acts of war under international law,” the statement said.
