India-Pakistan Tensions: The Delhi government announced on Thursday that given the present situation and preparedness for the emergency response system, no leave will be granted to any officer or government official till further notice.
In the order dated May 8, 2025, it was noted, “In the view of prevailing situation and preparedness for emergency response system, the Competent Authority has directed that no leave shall be granted to any Officer/Official of Govt. of NCT of Delhi, till further orders.”
Pakistan Attack Jammu and Kashmir
According to ANI, Pakistan fired eight missiles on Thursday, directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, however, all were intercepted and blocked by air defence units. Explosions were heard as Indian air defence intercepted Pakistani drones in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur.
Furthermore, Pakistani drones were intercepted by Indian air defence in Jaisalmer; explosions were heard and flashes seen. A complete blackout was enforced in Bikaner, Rajasthan, and Jalandhar, Punjab, and several other areas.
Operation Sindoor
In Wednesday’s early hours, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in which terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK was targeted through precision strikes. This was after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which terrorists gunned down 26 individuals.
At a media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that escalation by Pakistan will be responded to and is being responded to appropriately. He also said that India’s intention has not been to escalate matters.
“And our response has been targeted, precise, controlled, and measured. No military targets have been selected. Only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been hit,” Misri said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Defence informed, “On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks.”
“Today morning Indian Armed Forces targeted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations in Pakistan. Indian response has been in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. It has been reliably learnt that an Air Defence system at Lahore has been neutralised,” it added.
The Ministry’s statement had said that Pakistan increased the intensity of its “unprovoked firing” across the Line of Control (LoC) using Mortars and heavy-calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Sixteen innocent lives have been lost, including three women and five children, due to Pakistani firing. Here too, India was compelled to respond to bring Mortar and Artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt,” the statement added.
(with ANI inputs)
