New Delhi:
The government today accused Pakistan of “targeting places of worship” in India and said that several “gurudwar, guilty and temple” were damaged by the border in Jammu and Kashmir.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in a joint briefing with Colonel Sophia Kurissi and Wing Commander Vicer Singh, “We have seen the Pakistani side targeted and shelling places with a special design. It includes gurudwaras, convicts and temples. It is also a new low for Pakistan.”
On 22 April, tension between India and Pakistan broke down after 26 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Pahgam in Jammu and Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, rejected by Islamabad.
As an attack reaction, India started ‘Operation Sindoor’ on Tuesday and Wednesday night, colliding with nine terrorist bases in Pakistan. Since the strike, heavy shelling by Pakistan has been reported from further areas of Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Track update here.
On Thursday evening, India thwarted Pakistan’s efforts to attack military sites and several cities in the northern and western regions of the country.
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“New less for Pakistan”
Condemning the firing on the border by Pakistan on 7 May, Mr. Misri said, “During heavy shelling beyond the Line of Control, a shell fired from Pakistan landed right behind the Christ School being run by the Mary Imaculat congregation personnel in Poonch. Tragley, the shelling from Pakistan hit two students’ homes.”
Both students lost their lives, and their parents were seriously injured.
“Another Pakistani shell killed a Christian convent of a nun belonging to Mother Carmel’s congregation, damaged water tanks and destroyed solar panel infrastructure. Nun, school staff and local residents took refuge in an underground hall under school during the school.
He accused the Pakistani side of targeting and bowling the places of worship with a special design. “It included Gurudwar, these guilty and temples. It is also a new low for Pakistan.”
“Distracted imagination”
The Foreign Secretary also reacted to Pakistan’s claims that New Delhi was targeting itself to Indian cities, including Amritsar and trying to convict Islamabad. Pakistan also said that it did not attack any religious place.
“You may remember that tomorrow, I shared an incident related to an attack on a gurdwara in Poonach. Instead of owning these attacks, Pakistan made an predecessor and derogatory claim that it was targeting the Indian Armed Forces and the Indian Air Force, trying to work with Pakistan. To cheat and misleading the world.
He said, “Poonach was attacked by the Gurdwara, in particular, by Pakistan, and some local members of the Sikh community, including a ragi of the Gurudwara, lost their lives in the incident, as I shared yesterday, as I shared yesterday,” he said.
The government also called Pakistan’s claims against India a “deranged imagination” to attack its cities.
The Foreign Secretary said, “(claim that) we will attack our own cities, such a deranged imagination that only Pakistani state can come. Perhaps they do so because they are well aware of such tasks as if they will show their history,” said the Foreign Secretary.
He also reacted to the “disintegration campaign” from the Pakistani side.
“The last point that I wanted to create this evening is about the disintegration of Pakistan about India to target Nanna Sahib Gurudwara through a drone attack.
“Again, we are not surprised. India’s stable unity is a challenge for Pakistan,” he said.
Yesterday, Pakistan tried to hit military stations at Jammu, Pathankot and Udampur and missiles and drones at many other places. India used the S-400 Triumph missile systems, Barak-8 missiles, Akash Surface-to-Air Missiles and DRDO’s anti-draone techniques to thwart the attempt.
Blackouts were implemented in many cities, as protection against possible air strikes in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
