MUZAFFARABAD: A seven-year-old boy, Irtaza Abbas Turi, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Zaheer Abbas Turi of the Pakistan Army, was martyred during a deadly night of Indian airstrikes and shelling that targeted multiple civilian areas across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Punjab.
According to official reports, Indian forces carried out unprovoked missile, drone, and artillery strikes along the Line of Control (LoC) during the night of May 6–7.
The attacks resulted in the tragic death of the young child and marked one of the deadliest violations in recent months.
In a press briefing, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, confirmed that 26 civilians had been killed and 46 others injured in the Indian strikes. The targeted areas included Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Muridke, and Ahmedpur Sharqia.
The military spokesperson stated that Pakistan’s armed forces responded promptly and decisively, shooting down five Indian fighter jets and one drone. “India’s misunderstanding will be corrected,” he warned, asserting that future provocations would be met with full force.
Meanwhile, the National Security Committee (NSC) convened on Wednesday and authorised Pakistan’s armed forces to carry out corresponding actions in response to what it termed “unprovoked, cowardly, and unlawful acts of war.”
The forum highlighted that India’s aggression endangered civilian lives and regional aviation, including commercial airliners from friendly Gulf nations. The Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project was also reportedly targeted in violation of international norms.
The NSC reaffirmed Pakistan’s right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter and condemned the strikes as deliberate escalations amid mounting tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The hostilities follow the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), after which New Delhi accused Pakistan of involvement—claims Islamabad has strongly denied, citing a lack of evidence.
