New Delhi: On Thursday evening, the Ministry of External Affairs held a press conference regarding the prolonged drone and missile attacks by Pakistan on the country’s western border. Colonel Sofia Qureshi provided details on behalf of the army. She revealed that Pakistan had deployed civilian aircraft as shields during these cowardly acts on Thursday, aiming to hinder India’s responsive actions.
During the press conference, Colonel Qureshi stated that Pakistan did not halt civilian air traffic in major cities like Karachi and Lahore when the attacks occurred, endangering civilian lives. She further disclosed that Pakistan attempted these attacks at 36 locations on Thursday evening, all of which were thwarted by our forces. Initial investigations suggest the use of Turkish drones in these assaults.
Colonel Qureshi mentioned that the Indian Air Force promptly responded with a drone counter-attack, completely disabling Pakistan’s surveillance radar system. She highlighted that India’s response was highly restrained to minimize civilian casualties, despite Pakistan deliberately targeting non-combatants. This defensive and sensitive approach is being praised internationally for its strategic restraint.
Colonel Qureshi also noted that Pakistan’s military suffered significant losses in this retaliatory action, marking a substantial setback for their military operations. She emphasized that while Pakistan targeted civilians, Indian security forces exercised utmost restraint throughout the entire operation to safeguard civilian lives. This defensive and humanitarian aspect is garnering international commendation.