• Source:JND
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Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowed to retaliate after India carried out a mega operation against terrorists based in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India said it launched Operation Sindoor with missiles on terrorist outfits targeting their safe haven in Pakistan.

"For the blatant mistake that India made last night, it will now have to pay the price," Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a televised address on state broadcaster PTV to the nation. "Perhaps they thought that we would retreat, but they forgot that...this is a nation of brave people," he added.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told broadcaster Geo News that Islamabad would only strike Indian military targets and not civilians, in retaliation.

India will respond: Govt

India briefed more than a dozen foreign envoys in New Delhi that "if Pakistan responds, India will respond". Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, the top official in its external affairs ministry, said the strikes were to pre-empt further attacks on India. "India made it clear that if Pakistan responds, India will respond," said Misri during a special briefing in the national capital.

Trump offers to mediate India-Pakistan tensions 

US President Donald Trump said he wants to see India and Pakistan "work it out. I want to see them stop, and hopefully they can stop now. And if I can do anything to help, I will be there". There were calls for restraint from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, China, which neighbours both India and Pakistan, and Russia as well as Britain.

Operation Sindoor

India launched Operation Sindoor early Wednesday hitting nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Punjab in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. Meanwhile, Pakistan Army spokesman Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry said 31 people were killed and 57 others injured in the missile strikes launched shortly after midnight on cities in the Punjab province and PoK, and firing on the Line of Control. 

Many people in both countries voiced anger and hostility. "Pakistan has been testing our patience. The good thing is India is taking revenge," said Kumar Ravi Shankar, a Delhi lawyer. In Pakistan, businessman Umbreen Mahar said: "No one in today's world wants to favour war. But if India continues to slander us and then attack, Pakistan has the right to retaliate and defend its sovereignty."

(With inputs from agency)