Jaish-i-Mohammad claims 10 family members killed in Indian airstrikes

KABUL (Pajhwok): The leader of the militant group Jaish-I-Mohammed has claimed that 10 members of his family and four close associates were killed in an Indian airstrike on Pakistan.

In response, Pakistan has summoned India’s chargé d’affaires and warned of retaliatory measures.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to address the nation following an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee held earlier today.

The escalation comes amid heightened tensions between the two neighbors after a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 people dead.

India has accused Pakistan of orchestrating the assault, while Islamabad has denied any involvement, expressed condolences to the victims’ families, and described the incident as a “false flag Pahalgam operation.”

Indian media reported that the Indian Air Force launched strikes on nine locations inside Pakistan, claiming the targets were terrorist hideouts. Officials stated that the attacks deliberately avoided civilian and military infrastructure.

India’s Deputy Foreign Minister Vikram Misri said the strikes were conducted in self-defense in response to the Pahalgam attack.

The airstrikes reportedly disrupted flight schedules in several Indian cities due to airspace restrictions.

According to the Pakistani military, the Indian aircraft targeted the cities of Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad.

Bahawalpur lies in Punjab Province, while Kotli and Muzaffarabad are in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Military spokesperson General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry reported that 26 civilians were killed and 46 others wounded in the strikes.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif claimed the Pakistani military had shot down six Indian aircraft.

Reuters, citing video evidence, reported that three Indian fighter jets crashed in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.

In a statement, Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Maulana Masood Azhar said an Indian strike on the Subhanallah Mosque in Bahawalpur killed 10 members of his family, including women and children, along with four close allies.

He condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “This act of brutality has broken all rules. No one should expect mercy now.”

The United Nations and China have urged both countries to exercise maximum restraint, while the United States has called for a swift and peaceful resolution to the crisis.

sa