Islamabad/New Delhi: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday issued a strong warning to India, promising retaliation for what he described as an “act of war” after Indian armed forces conducted targeted strikes on nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor.
In a televised address to the nation, Sharif claimed that Pakistan had responded with force during the confrontation, alleging the downing of five Indian fighter jets and asserting that Pakistani air defenses had prevailed in a one-hour dogfight along the Line of Control. “The enemy’s planes were shattered to pieces. We have shown that Pakistan is capable of a jaw-breaking response,” he said.
PM #Pakistan address Nation.
#India will now have to bear the consequences of the blatant mistake it made by committing aggression, says #Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif#OperationSindoor #IndiaPakistanWar #Pakistan #indian pic.twitter.com/5PfxKqZct8
— Saleem Iqbal Qadri (@SaleemQadri_) May 7, 2025
The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing stance on the Kashmir dispute, asserting, “As per international law, Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory and will remain so until a plebiscite is held.” He further stated that no unilateral actions by India could alter that reality.
Earlier in the day, Sharif addressed the Parliament, where he lauded the Pakistani Air Force for its readiness and claimed that Indian airstrikes resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people, including a child, and left 46 others injured. The Pakistani military later claimed the civilian death toll had risen to 31.
While Sharif stopped short of outlining specific retaliatory measures, his office confirmed that the military had been “authorised to undertake corresponding actions.” Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with CNN, called the Indian strikes an “invitation to expand the conflict,” though he insisted Pakistan was trying to avoid a full-scale war. “We cannot be caught with our guards down,” he added.
Pakistan Army spokesperson Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry also condemned the Indian operation, stating that “any condemnation is not enough” and warning of further consequences.
The Indian strikes, described by officials in New Delhi as “measured” and “non-escalatory,” targeted key terror infrastructure, including the Markaz Taiba (Lashkar-e-Taiba) in Muridke, the Markaz Subhan Allah (Jaish-e-Mohammad) in Bahawalpur, and Hizbul Mujahideen’s Mehmoona Joya facility in Sialkot. Camps in Muzaffarabad and Barnala were also hit during the 25-minute missile and drone operation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on Pakistan’s claims of downed jets or casualties.
