Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan in Chaklala suffered significant damage, while Rahim Yar Khan airbase’s runway was completely flattened in India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, sources said.
Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).
This operation was a retaliatory response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians, including one Nepali national.
Following India’s operation, the conflict between India and Pakistan deepened, which resulted in increased cross-border shelling from Pakistan and retaliatory action from the Indian Armed Forces.
Areas across the border were set up on high alert, and there were blackouts whenever attacks from Pakistan took place.
A surprising sequence of events unfolded as Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) proposed a ceasefire to India’s DGMO, which was accepted. Pakistan’s DGMO called India’s DGMO at 3:35 pm, proposing a ceasefire, which India agreed to.
At 5:25 pm, President Trump tweeted about the ceasefire announcement, which seemed to precede official statements from both governments. Shortly after, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tweeted that India and Pakistan would meet for talks at a ‘neutral site’, adding another layer to the diplomatic efforts.
On Saturday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart earlier this and the two sides agreed to halt all military actions–on land, at sea, and in the air–effective from 1700 hours IST.
Misri noted that instructions have been issued to enforce the ceasefire, with another round of DGMO-level talks scheduled for May 12 at noon.
However, hours after both countries agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and sea, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India’s air defence intercepting Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Srinagar.
Red streaks were seen and explosions heard as India’s air defence intercepted Pakistani drones amid a blackout in Udhampur. A blackout was also enforced in Pathankot and Ferozepur in Punjab and Jaisalmer and Barmer in Rajasthan.
At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said India takes “very serious note of these violations”. India called upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility. (ANI)
