In the early hours of Wednesday, Indian warplanes carried out strikes on several targets across Pakistan, including mosques in Bahawalpur, a city in Pakistan's Punjab province. According to local reports, at least 31 civilians were killed and dozens more injured.
The Indian government said the strikes were a response to a recent deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam, in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan authorities have denied any involvement in the Pahalgam incident and claim they downed five Indian fighter jets during the operation.
On the ground in Bahawalpur, residents described scenes of chaos and fear. "India's attack was on the civilian population instead of their claimed terrorist organizations," said Khalilur Rehman, a local shopkeeper. Javed Akhtar, another resident, said, "They made such a brutal act to target innocent children and holy mosques."
Experts warn that this cycle of tit-for-tat strikes risks escalating tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours. International observers are calling for restraint and dialogue to prevent further civilian suffering and regional instability.
As families in Bahawalpur begin to pick up the pieces, the world watches closely whether diplomatic efforts can defuse a crisis that has shocked communities on both sides of the border.
Reference(s):
Stringer Dispatch: Pakistani locals narrate horrors of Indian attack
cgtn.com
