Indian drones neutralised in Lahore, Attock, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Miano, Chor and near Karachi   Dar says India dropped projectiles at Amritsar to incite anti-Pak sentiments among Sikh population   One civilian martyred, four armed personnel injured in drone attacks   Whole world will witness Pakistan’s retaliatory attack on India: DG ISPR.

ISLAMABAD  -  Pakistan Armed Forces on Thursday successfully shot down 29 Israeli-manufactured Harop drones using both soft-kill and hard-kill systems, following a series of provocative attacks by India.

While briefing the media on the latest act of Indian aggression, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan successfully neutralised 29 drones so far.

He assured that any airborne object approaching Pakistan is closely monitored and will be taken down accordingly. He said India should refrain from creating war hysteria for domestic political purposes. He also condemned the targeting of religious sites, revealing that one of the drones was directed toward Nankana Sahib, a holy place for Sikhs, a move he described as abhorrent and unacceptable.

He further assured that Pakistan will respond at a time and place of its choosing, emphasising that the world will witness Pakistan’s retaliation. He said the Armed Forces of Pakistan are on the highest level of alert. During the briefing, the debris of neutralized Indian drones was displayed for the media.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations, escalation follows India’s cowardly assault on Tuesday which resulted in the destruction of five advanced aircraft, drones, multiple military posts, and reported casualties among Indian troops. In a state of panic and confusion, India has resorted to deploying Israeli-made Harop drones for attacks on Pakistani territory. These unprovoked attacks are a clear reflection of India’s desperation and frustration, as it continues to suffer significant losses along the Line of Control.

Debris of the downed Israeli drones is being recovered from various locations across Pakistan. Pakistan’s Armed Forces are responding with full force, thwarting all hostile designs and delivering a decisive response to the enemy’s aggression.

Earlier, addressing a news conference, Director General ISPR, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that the locations where the Indian drones were neutralised include Lahore, Attock, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Miano, Chor and Near Karachi.

He said that the process of India’s sending of these drones, which is naked aggression, is continuing while the Armed Forces of Pakistan are on high degree of alert and neutralizing them. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry reiterated that Pakistan Armed Forces remain fully vigilant to respond to any type of threat.

‘Joint news briefing’

Pakistan on Thursday also said that Islamabad reserves the right to respond to India at a time, place and manner of its choosing, in view of the grave and unlawful Indian aggression of violating Pakistani airspace.

This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar while addressing a joint news briefing alongside Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in Islamabad on Thursday evening.

The Deputy PM said despite repeated provocations, Pakistan being a responsible state has so far exercised strategic restraint, acted with maturity and limited its response strictly to self defence, in accordance with the international law and the UN Charter.

Ishaq Dar said India on Thursday launched a highly provocative and dangerously escalated attack, firing four projectiles targeting Pakistani territory. Giving details, he said three projectiles were immediately dropped at Amritsar while the fourth that entered Pak airspace was neutralized by Pakistan’s Air defence System and its debris fell in Dinga town inside Pakistan.

He emphasised that the deep-rooted and centuries old cultural affinity between Pakistan and the Sikhs of the Indian Punjab is well known along with the long history of communal persecution of both at the hands of extremist Hindutva majority. He added that Pakistan rejects any intention or action that may endanger civilian population in Indian Punjab.  

Ishaq Dar said this Indian act appears to be a design to falsely implicate Pakistan for targeting Indian civilians and incite anti-Pakistan sentiments among the Punjabi Sikh population to conveniently externalise the rising communal tensions within India.  He said Pakistan deeply sympathizes with the Indian Sikh population as their lives were in danger by India’s malicious use of projectiles to achieve sinister political ends.

The Deputy Prime Minister said Pakistan remains firmly committed to safeguard innocent lives and regional harmony unlike India’s divisive policies. Providing details on the Indian drone strikes, Ishaq Dar said several armed Indian drones violated Pakistani airspace by crossing the international border at multiple locations, with the apparent aim of targeting civilians and military installations.

He said that one civilian was martyred, while four armed personnel sustained injuries in the attacks. He also revealed that one of these drones struck the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, the venue of the ongoing PSL in deliberate attempt to target both domestic and foreign cricket players.

However, Ishaq Dar assured that all these drones have been successfully neutralized.

The Foreign Office on Thursday categorically rejected the “baseless and irresponsible allegations” propagated by the Indian media, accusing Pakistan of launching attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Srinagar.

“The Government of Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless and irresponsible allegations propagated by the Indian media, accusing Pakistan of launching attacks on Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Srinagar. These claims are entirely unfounded, politically motivated, and part of a reckless propaganda campaign aimed at maligning Pakistan,” the Foreign Office said.

It added that the repeated pattern of “leveling accusations against Pakistan without any credible investigation reflects a deliberate strategy to manufacture a pretext for aggression and to further destabilize the region. Such actions not only further endanger regional peace but also reveal a disturbing willingness to exploit misinformation for political and military ends.”

The FO further said: “We urge the international community to take serious note of this dangerous behaviour and to counsel India toward restraint and responsibility. Any escalation based on false pretenses will be met with full resolve and determination to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Pakistan, the FO said: “Remains vigilant and firmly committed to peace, but it will not be deterred by attempts to provoke, intimidate, or mislead and reserves the right to respond to acts of aggression. These allegations are rejected in the strongest possible terms.”

 Indian media earlier claimed there were major and multiple explosions and sirens in the city of Jammu, causing a complete blackout.

 Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan has so far “exercised strategic restraint” and limited its response strictly for self-defence in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter. “Pakistan deserves to respond to India at a place, time and manner of its choosing,” he added.