Pakistan’s military said on May 8 that it had intercepted and shot down a dozen Indian drones that crossed into its airspace overnight, in what it described as a serious escalation and a threat to regional stability.
The statement was delivered by Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), who said the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) had violated Pakistani airspace during the night of May 7 to 8, striking urban areas and resulting in civilian casualties, Caliber.Az reports, citing Pakistani media.
“In a provocative and blatant violation of international norms, Indian drones entered Pakistan’s airspace and targeted multiple urban centres,” Gen. Chaudhry said. “Pakistan’s air defence systems successfully neutralised all 12 drones.”
The incidents reportedly occurred across a wide geographical area. The drones were intercepted in cities including Lahore, Gujranwala, Chakwal, Rawalpindi, Attock, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Chhor, and Karachi. ISPR confirmed that fragments of the destroyed drones were being recovered for investigation.
The drone strikes caused one civilian death and left five others injured, Gen. Chaudhry said. Among the wounded were four soldiers who were injured during a strike on Walton Road in Lahore, while another soldier and one civilian were injured in Miano, Sindh. The civilian fatality also occurred in Miano.
“These provocations are not isolated events but part of a continuous pattern of Indian drone aggression,” Chaudhry asserted. “India consistently sends UAVs into Pakistani territory, and each one has been intercepted and destroyed.”
He condemned the drone incursions as “deliberate, dangerous actions” and warned that they could destabilize the region if left unchecked. “Such aggressive behavior from India is a clear threat to regional peace,” he said. “Pakistan’s armed forces remain on high alert and are fully capable of defending the country’s sovereignty.”
Chaudhry also called on the international community to take note of what he described as India’s repeated airspace violations and to condemn the use of drones in cross-border operations.
“The ongoing use of drones and airspace violations by India must be condemned globally,” he said. “Pakistan has demonstrated remarkable restraint, but we are fully prepared to respond decisively to any act of aggression.”
By Tamilla Hasanova
Source: caliber.az
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