In a strong display of patriotism and unity, thousands of youths collected in Chandigarh following a local appeal for civil defence volunteers in the face of increasing tensions between India and Pakistan. Long queues were seen on the roads as enthusiastic youths stepped forward to register and declare their support for the Indian defence forces.
The mood within the city intensified soon enough with vociferous shouts of ‘Pakistan Murdabad’, an indication of civilians’ collective will and preparedness to stand in support of their country during an hour of need.
One resident, Muskan, revealed what drove her by stating, “We are here to support the Army. They are doing so much for us, and we also want to do something for our Army.”
Another fervent volunteer, Karan Chopra, informed ANI, “I am willing to lay down my life for India. We have submitted the form; we are prepared to do whatever is required of us.”
The feeling was reflected in the crowd. Parambir Singh, who had also attended to enroll as a volunteer, stated, “We have come to offer our services to our country. We have submitted the form (for volunteer service).”
Sanjana Arora, another volunteer, spoke about the solidarity: “We were invited here by the administration, and it’s astounding to see such a huge number of youngsters. So many youths have come today to show their support for India and our military personnel. The energy here is unbelievable, even the ones who don’t get up early have come in large numbers. We all want to be with our soldiers who are courageously retaliating against Pakistan’s continued aggressions and no one knows when they get to go in.”
She went on to say, “The government’s strong position has really encouraged us to take the lead and perform our civil duties. With such solidarity on show, no one in the world can challenge the spirit of our nation. And yes, we will continue to bring updates on happenings from Pakistan too.”
Precision Strikes Under Op Sindoor
As public support increased, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence gave updates on the continuing Operation Sindoor. Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi confirmed that the Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes against various Pakistani military establishments using air-based weapons.
Precision operations targeted military targets in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian. The Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base radar installations were also attacked.
Colonel Qureshi described Pakistan’s attacking operations as they employed Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs), fighter planes, loitering weapons, and long-range missiles to hit Indian military buildings.
The Indian response came after Pakistan’s massive attack on 26 points in India earlier on Saturday. Top government sources said that Indian attacks struck at least four Pakistani airbases early in the morning. Sporadic exchange of fire remains along the Line of Control (LoC), with tensions still high.
