Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that the country shot down five Indian fighter jets in retaliation to recent Indian missile strikes. In an interview with U.S. news outlet ‘Bloomberg’, Asif also stated that several Indian soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war.
The defence minister emphasized that Pakistan is open to dialogue if India abandons what he described as its “aggressive posture.” However, he warned that any hostile action from New Delhi would be met with a strong response. “If these hostile activities stop, we are certainly ready to talk with India. We do not want the situation to worsen. But if aggression continues from their side, we will be compelled to respond,” Asif said.
According to Pakistani officials, the retaliatory strikes targeted key Indian military installations, including a brigade headquarters that was allegedly destroyed. These strikes followed an overnight missile attack by India on multiple locations across Pakistan late Tuesday.
A source from Pakistan’s security forces told state broadcaster PTV that the Indian brigade headquarters was “completely destroyed.” Additionally, *The Express Tribune* reported that a Pakistani missile strike destroyed an Indian army post in the Dudhniyal sector along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan also claimed to have downed an Indian drone during the exchange.
Initial reports mentioned the destruction of three Indian aircraft, but Defence Minister Asif has since confirmed the number as five.
The recent escalation follows a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, where gunmen killed 26 civilians. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, dramatically heightening tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Those tensions culminated in Tuesday night’s military exchanges.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed that eight people were killed and 35 injured in India’s missile strikes.
The international community has expressed alarm at the rapidly deteriorating situation, urging both countries to exercise restraint and avoid further conflict.
