Pakistan military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry held a sudden press conference in Islamabad around 4 am on Saturday. He said Indian fighter jets had fired air-to-surface missiles at three Pakistan Air Force bases — Nur Khan in Rawalpindi, Murid in Chakwal, and Rafiqui in Shorkot, Jhang district.
“But all assets of the Air Force remain safe,” Chaudhry claimed. He also said that Pakistan’s air defence system had intercepted several incoming missiles. He ended the press conference abruptly and took no questions from reporters.
Nur Khan Base Located Near Islamabad
Nur Khan Air Base, one of the sites reportedly targeted, is situated in Rawalpindi. This city is just 10 kilometres from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad. Rawalpindi also houses the headquarters of the Pakistan military.
Pakistan Closes Airspace Temporarily
Soon after the press conference, the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) announced a temporary shutdown of the country’s airspace. The closure began at 3:15 am and is expected to last until 12:00 noon on Saturday. The PAA stated that it would release another update at noon.
Tensions Rise After Indian Strikes
This development came after the Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes on terror launchpads inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). These strikes were in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which India said had links to cross-border elements.
Pakistan Responds With Drone Attacks
In retaliation, Pakistan launched drone attacks late Friday night. Drones were seen over 26 different locations across India — from Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Gujarat in the south. These drones aimed to hit both civilian and military targets, including airports and airbases. However, India’s defence ministry said its air defence systems neutralised all these threats successfully.
G7 Urges Restraint and Dialogue
As tensions continue to rise between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, the Group of Seven (G7) nations issued a statement on Friday. They urged both India and Pakistan to “exercise maximum restraint” and encouraged direct dialogue to ease the situation.
