The death toll continues to rise following a series of Indian missile attacks and shelling across Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and Punjab, with at least 24 people martyred and 61 others injured in the past 24 hours. The latest escalation has further intensified tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with both countries maintaining a volatile standoff along the Line of Control (LoC).
Casualties in Bahawalpur
In the Bahawalpur district of Punjab, a missile strike by Indian forces has tragically claimed the lives of 13 civilians, including 7 women, 4 men, and 2 children. The attack targeted a residential area, and in addition to the fatalities, 36 others were injured. Many of the injured are currently being treated at Bahawal Victoria Hospital. The situation remains critical, with emergency response teams working tirelessly to assist the victims and search for missing individuals. This attack is considered one of the deadliest in recent months.
Read More: Pakistan Air Force Downs two Indian jets following border airstrikes
Casualties in Azad Kashmir
In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, a series of Indian shelling and missile attacks targeted multiple areas, leaving 9 martyrs and 9 others injured. The worst-hit region was Poonch Division, where 3 civilians lost their lives, and 4 others were injured in Nakial, Kotli. Haveli District, located further south, also witnessed an attack that resulted in 2 deaths. Several other civilians, including women and children, were martyred in Poonch Division, with many others receiving emergency medical care for their injuries.
Strike in Muridke
A missile strike in Muridke, Punjab, targeted the Government Health and Educational Complex, a civilian building, leading to the deaths of 2 people and injuring 12 others, many of whom are in critical condition. Rescue teams are working diligently at the site to rescue survivors and provide medical aid to the wounded.
ISPR DG on Indian Strikes
During a high-level press briefing, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed that the Indian military had carried out 24 attacks on six different locations across Pakistan late on Tuesday night. The strikes targeted civilian areas, places of worship, and residential neighborhoods, resulting in at least eight martyrs, including women and a young girl, and injuring 35 others. The worst-hit areas included Muzaffarabad, Ahmedpur East, Muridke, Shakargarh, Sialkot (Kotli Lohara), and Kotli in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The ongoing conflict has raised concerns over regional stability, with authorities on both sides calling for immediate action to de-escalate the situation. Pakistan has vowed to address these violations at international forums, emphasizing its right to defend its territory.
