Pakistan confirms India hit Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, says retaliation will come

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday issued its strongest statement yet, publicly confirming Indian air strikes on four locations — Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad — and labelling the action an “unprovoked and blatant act of war.” The official release marks the first formal acknowledgment from Islamabad that India’s Operation Sindoor indeed hit terror-linked targets across both Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Calling the strikes a “flagrant violation of the UN Charter”, Pakistan accused India of targeting civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of “women and children” and endangering commercial air traffic. The statement went further to allege that India had once again used the “bogey of terrorism” to advance what it called a “sham narrative of victimhood.”

Pakistan stated that India’s action had “brought the two nuclear-armed states closer to a major conflict” and asserted that it reserves the right to respond appropriately under Article 51 of the UN Charter — the provision that allows self-defense against armed attacks. “They will always act with iron resolve to protect and preserve the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan,” the release added.

Earlier, India had confirmed that it conducted precision strikes on nine terror hubs under Operation Sindoor, calling the move “focused, measured and non-escalatory.” While India did not name the exact targets, Pakistan's foreign ministry has now officially listed Muridke—headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba—and Bahawalpur, long linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, among the sites hit.

The operation was carried out in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. Indian forces reportedly used standoff weapons while remaining within Indian airspace.

Meanwhile, Flightradar24 data showed near-total civilian flight avoidance over Pakistan, and Nifty 50 futures dropped 1.19% in early trade, signaling nervous market sentiment. India also launched a two-day air drill in Rajasthan and a nationwide civil defense exercise—the first since 1971—reflecting elevated strategic posture.