India Slams Pakistan for Targeting Schools and Places Of Worship Amid Rising Border Tensions

May 09, 2025 : The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a strong condemnation of Pakistan, accusing it of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, including schools and religious sites, amid escalating hostilities along the Line of Control (LoC).

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, addressing a press briefing on Friday, denounced Pakistan’s shelling of gurdwaras, churches, and temples, calling it “a new low even for Pakistan.”

Detailing a tragic incident, Misri revealed that on the morning of May 7, a shell fired from across the LoC landed near Christ School in Poonch, hitting the home of two students, both of whom died. Their parents were also injured. Several school staff and local residents took refuge in the school’s underground hall. Fortunately, the school was closed that day, avoiding more casualties.

“Pakistan is targeting and shelling places of worship with a particular design. This includes gurdwaras, churches, and temples. This is not just reckless, it is calculated,” Misri stated.

He further criticised Pakistan for attacks on civilian areas, including cities like Amritsar, and dismissed Islamabad’s allegations that India had targeted its own territory as “preposterous and outrageous.” Misri also accused Pakistan of spreading disinformation, such as a false claim about a drone attack on the Nankana Sahib Gurdwara.

“Pakistan is trying desperately to communalise the conflict and create internal discord through lies and misinformation,” Misri said, affirming that India’s response has been “proportional, adequate, and responsible.”

In the same press briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that between 300 and 400 drones were launched by Pakistan across 36 infiltration points on the western front and LoC during the night of May 7 and 8. Many of the drones were shot down by Indian forces using a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic countermeasures.

Initial forensic reports indicate that the downed drones were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models, designed for tactical assault and surveillance.

“The scale of the aerial intrusions points to an attempt to both test India’s air defence readiness and gather military intelligence,” said Colonel Qureshi.

Adding to the intensity of the conflict, defence sources told ANI that Pakistan used low-cost, Hamas-style rocket attacks on Jammu, mimicking the barrage tactics used by militant groups in the Middle East.

These retaliatory actions from Pakistan follow India’s Operation Sindoor, conducted on May 8, which targeted nine terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The strikes were launched in direct response to the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists.

Earlier this week, Indian defence sources confirmed that over 50 Pakistani drones were neutralised during a large-scale counter-drone operation along the LoC and International Border (IB). Additionally, a Pakistani air defence system near Lahore was neutralised in a precision strike.

India continues to maintain that it will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity resolutely while ensuring that its responses are measured and strategic.