New Delhi/Islamabad, May 8, 2025 — Tensions between India and Pakistan reached a boiling point today after India’s major airstrike across the border killed 31 civilians in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering a sharp military and diplomatic response from Islamabad.
🔴 India’s Cross-Border Strikes: What Happened?
- India launched missile attacks on six targets across Pakistan, including Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, and Bahawalpur, Muridke, Sialkot, and Shakar Garh in Punjab — the most extensive strikes since the 1971 war.
- India claimed it targeted terror camps linked to the April 22 Kashmir attack, where 26 Hindu tourists were killed near Pahalgam.
- Pakistan said 31 civilians were killed, while India reported 13 deaths, including one soldier, from retaliatory shelling.
🇵🇰 Pakistan Shoots Down 5 Indian Jets, Declares Readiness for War
- Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif called the strikes an “act of war” and told parliament that five Indian fighter jets had been shot down.
- Pakistan’s National Security Committee has greenlit military retaliation, stating it reserves the right to respond “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing.”
- Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Pakistan seeks to avoid a full-scale war but must be prepared for one.
🕊️ Global Reactions: US, Iran, and Others Call for De-Escalation
- President Donald Trump said the US is ready to help mediate, urging both nations to “work it out.”
- Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who has already visited Islamabad, arrived in New Delhi today and offered to mediate.
- Diplomats from UK, France, Germany, Qatar, Turkiye, and the UAE have issued urgent calls for restraint and a return to diplomacy.
⚠️ Punjab Blackout, Emergency Drills in India
- India’s border state of Punjab initiated a blackout and emergency drills. Locals were told: “Stay at home, do not panic, and keep all exterior lights off.”
- This comes amid fears of Pakistani retaliation hitting densely populated Indian regions.
🏥 Emergency Declared in Pakistan’s Sindh Province
- Sindh, home to Karachi, cancelled all medical leave and placed hospitals on emergency alert following India’s aerial strikes.
đź’¬ India-Pakistan Officials in Secret Contact
- Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar confirmed that national security advisers from both countries have been in touch, though no details were shared.
🧠Expert Insight: What’s Next?
- Analysts suggest Pakistan is seeking to de-escalate, portraying India as the aggressor, while India is under domestic pressure to respond strongly.
- Dr. Uday Chandra, from Georgetown University in Qatar, said both governments are “speaking to their middle-class, TV-watching audiences” as international pressure mounts.
đź“Ś Why This Is a Historic Escalation
This is the first time since 1971 that India has hit Pakistan’s Punjab, its most populous and economically vital region. Prior strikes, such as the 2019 Balakot operation, had been limited to remote areas.
The use of advanced airpower, alleged fighter jet downings, and civilian deaths are now drawing serious concern from global powers wary of two nuclear-armed neighbors inching toward full-scale war.
