'Pakistan using civil airliners as shield': India blasts Pak for not closing its airspace
India stressed that Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a "failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 8:30 pm. India news pakistan
Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, India on Friday (May 9) accused Pakistan of using civil aircraft as a "shield" and for not closing its civil airspace, despite knowing that India will retaliate against its May 7-8 attacks.
During a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stressed that Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a "failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 8:30 pm in the evening."
"Pakistan is using civil airliners as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed, it shows the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector."
The wing commander continued that the airspace on the Indian side is "absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure."
"However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore...Indian Air force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers.," she added during the briefing.
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Pakistani army fired heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control. Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations.
"On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control," she said.
New low for Pakistan
During the briefing, India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that Pakistan is targeting religious places, including gurudwaras.
"Pakistan is targeting and shelling places of worship with a particular design, including gurdwaras, churches and temples. This is a new low even for Pakistan," he said.
Also read: Indo-Pak war | Indian Army soldier Murali Naik martyred during cross border firing at LoC
He further said that during heavy shelling across the LoC in the early morning of May 7, a shell fired from Pakistan landed just behind the Christ School in Poonch.
"The shell hit the home of two students of the school, who unfortunately lost their lives and their parents sustained injuries... Several school staff and locals took refuge in an underground hall of the school during the shelling by Pakistan," he said.
"The school was fortunately closed, otherwise more losses would have occurred," Misri added.
