May 09, 2025: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Friday sharply criticised Pakistan’s May 8 attacks targeting multiple Indian cities, including Amritsar, and condemned Islamabad’s claim that India was attacking its own territory as “preposterous and outrageous.”
In a strong statement during a press briefing, Misri said, “That we would attack our own cities is the kind of deranged fantasy only the Pakistani state can come up with—perhaps because it mirrors their own tactics as history has shown.”
He also condemned Pakistan’s disinformation campaign regarding an alleged Indian drone strike on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara, calling it a “blatant lie” designed to inflame communal sentiments. “Pakistan is desperately trying to give a communal colour to the situation to sow discord,” Misri said.
Labeling Pakistan’s recent actions as “provocative and escalatory,” Misri accused the neighbouring nation of targeting both civilian infrastructure and military establishments. He said the Indian Armed Forces responded “proportionately, adequately, and responsibly,” adding that Pakistan’s official denial of the attacks is “farcical and a new low.”
Providing further details, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who also addressed the media briefing, disclosed that 300 to 400 drones were deployed by Pakistan across 36 infiltration points along the LoC and western border on the night of May 7-8.
“The Pakistani Army not only violated Indian airspace but also fired heavy-calibre weapons along the LoC,” Qureshi said. “Many drones were intercepted and shot down using kinetic and non-kinetic methods. Initial forensic analysis suggests the drones were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models,” she added.
Qureshi suggested the drone incursions were likely aimed at testing India’s air defence systems and gathering intelligence on military infrastructure.
In a further escalation, defence sources revealed that Pakistan launched missile attacks on Jammu, mirroring Hamas-style tactics seen in the Middle East—using low-cost, high-volume rockets to target civilian areas.
These attacks are being viewed as a retaliatory response to Operation Sindoor, carried out by the Indian Armed Forces on May 8, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation was a direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, where 26 Indian tourists lost their lives.
In a major counter-offensive, over 50 Pakistani drones were brought down by the Indian Army during a large-scale airspace defence operation on May 8. Additionally, sources confirmed the neutralisation of a Pakistani air defence system near Lahore, marking a significant strategic setback for Pakistan.
India reiterated its commitment to defending its territorial sovereignty and civilian safety against what officials described as “reckless, inflammatory and dangerous actions” by Pakistan.