Pak PM Sharif terms Indian missile strikes on terror targets as 'act of war', says 'will give a befitting reply'

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif early Wednesday termed the Indian missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Punjab province as an "act of war" and said his country has every right to give a "befitting reply." Sharif said India has carried out attacks on five places in Pakistan. "The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives,” he said, adding that the entire nation is with the Pakistani Armed Forces. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan will respond "with full force". “We will respond with full force. We will pay off this debt in the manner such debt is paid,” Asif told Geo News.

He said Pakistan's response would be both kinetic and diplomatic, and it would not take long to retaliate to the Indian attack. "All places are open for the international media to verify if they targeted terrorists’ camps or civilians,” he said. Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that missiles fired by India targeted Kotli and Muzaffarabad in PoK and Bahawalpur in Punjab province. Chaudhry said three Pakistanis were killed and 12 injured in missile strikes. Officials, however, said that the Indian strikes targeted five places in Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Bagh in PoK and in the Bahawalpur and Muridke areas of Punjab. India launched air strikes on the Subhanullah mosque in Bahwalpur's Ahmed East area, Kotli and Muzaffarabad at three places from the air, the army spokesman told ARY News channel. "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. “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.

He said that damage assessments are being done and more information will be provided later. This "temporary happiness" that India has achieved with this attack will be replaced with enduring grief, he added. Pakistan has closed its airspace for all air traffic for 48 hours. Ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 that killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the 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. 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.