Pakistan's PM confirms retaliation after Indian airstrikes on five provinces “a response has already been given”

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that his country has the right to respond to India's missile strikes, adding that "a response has already been given."

Sharif made a statement on the social media platform X in connection with India’s missile strikes on five Pakistani provinces, Caliber.Az reports.  

مکار دشمن نے پاکستان کے پانچ مقامات پر بزدلانہ حملہ کیا ہے.
پاکستان بھارت کی مسلط کردہ اس جنگی عمل کا بھرپور جواب دینے کا پورا حق رکھتا ہے اور بھرپور جواب دیا جا رہا ہے.
پوری قوم افواج پاکستان کے ساتھ ہے اور پوری پاکستانی قوم کا مورال اور جذبہ بلند ہے.
پاکستانی قوم اور افواج…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 6, 2025

"The deceitful enemy has carried out a cowardly attack on five places in Pakistan. Pakistan has every right to give a befitting response to this act of war imposed by India and that a response has already been given. The entire nation stands with the Pakistani Armed Forces and the morale and spirit of the entire Pakistani nation are high," his post reads.

The premier underlined that the Pakistani nation and its armed forces know very well how to deal with the enemy.

"The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives," Sharif stated.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated sharply following a series of military exchanges on May 6–7, 2025, marking the most severe confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in over two decades. 

India launched "Operation Sindoor" in the early hours of May 7. As part of the operation, India launched airstrikes on targets inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in what it described as retaliation for last month’s deadly attack on Hindu pilgrims in Indian Kashmir.

The Indian Air Force targeted nine locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and Sialkot. India claimed the strikes were aimed at infrastructure belonging to militant groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation, lasting approximately 23 minutes, utilized Rafale jets equipped with SCALP and AASM Hammer missiles.

Pakistan condemned the Indian strikes as an "unprovoked and blatant act of war," reporting at least 26 civilian deaths and 46 injuries, including women and children. Sites affected reportedly included mosques and residential areas in Kotli, Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, and Muridke.

In retaliation, Pakistan claimed to have shot down five Indian aircraft and launched missile strikes on Indian-controlled Kashmir, destroying an Indian brigade headquarters.  

By Khagan Isayev