Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated into open warfare following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. After two weeks of intense threats and warnings, India has carried out large-scale missile strikes targeting multiple locations, including Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The surprise attack occurred at midnight on Tuesday, May 6, and reportedly struck several mosques.
The most devastating strike took place in Ahmedpur Sharqia of Bahawalpur, Punjab, where five people, including a three-year-old child, lost their lives when a missile hit the courtyard of a mosque. Other affected areas include Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Muridke, and Bagh. In Muzaffarabad’s Bilal Mosque, a child was injured during the strike.
Despite the destruction and fear of further attacks, local residents remained resilient. According to The Express Tribune, hundreds of worshippers attended the Fajr prayer at the damaged mosques in Muridke and Markaz, defying both fear and police restrictions. Even under a total blackout imposed in areas near the Indian border due to the tense war-like situation, people chose to stay rather than flee. At dawn, residents gathered at Markaz as an act of solidarity. Tensions ran so high that when law enforcement surrounded the mosque, a near-riot ensued as police attempted to stop the congregation from praying. Ultimately, the officers stood down under pressure, allowing the locals to offer prayers amid the ruins.
Sheikh Tamoir, a local leader, described the events, stating that four missiles struck near Markaz Taiba in Muridke—just a few hundred feet from his own field—within eight minutes. The first impact was so powerful that it felt like an earthquake, prompting villagers in nearby areas like Sadain and Nangarhar to flee their homes. One missile collapsed a grand mosque, yet despite the risks, residents still gathered to pray there, reflecting their unshaken spirit and determination.
The conflict was triggered by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people and was described as the most severe attack in Kashmir since Pulwama in 2019. In response, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and accused Pakistan of indirect involvement. Several other retaliatory measures were taken, prompting Pakistan to suspend the Shimla Agreement, close its airspace to Indian flights, and halt all trade with India.
Since then, the situation has deteriorated rapidly. On the night of May 6, India launched missile strikes on at least nine locations across Pakistan’s Azad Kashmir. Pakistan has claimed that the attack resulted in the deaths of at least 31 people. In retaliation, Pakistani forces destroyed an Indian military headquarters and five advanced aircraft. The Pakistan Army has also received full authorization to respond with necessary force.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed to avenge the attack, declaring that every drop of blood spilled will be repaid.
