While most of us were sound asleep, the night turned tense across the region. By morning, newsfeeds were bombarded with dramatic developments that unfolded while the world slept. Here’s a quick roundup of India’s attack on Pakistan and all that followed.
India’s Attack on Pakistan: Unprovoked
Parts of Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir were attacked by multiple missile attacks (all unprovoked) by India on Wednesday morning. In this attack, according to reports, at least twenty six people were killed and this includes a three-year-old child.
Pakistan’s military said Indian missiles struck nine cities. That included six different places in Punjab province — the first time that India has hit Pakistan’s most populous state since the 1971 war between the neighbours. The two remaining places targeted were Muzaffarabad and Kotli, both in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
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How Many Casualties are There?
Twenty six people were killed and dozens were wounded according to latest updates. Those killed included teenagers and children – the youngest of whom was three years old. Ten civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were also killed in shelling by Pakistani troops from across the border, according to the Indian Army.
Read More: Pak-India War: Like Cowards Do, India Launched Mid-Night Attack on Pakistan, Killing Civilians
Why did India Strike Pakistan? All We Know About “Operation Sindoor”
The Indian military has dubbed its missile strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir as “Operation Sindoor.” Sindoor is the Hindi word for vermilion, a red pigment that married Hindu women often apply to their foreheads. The name of India’s military operation is an apparent reference to the manner in which the attackers shot their victims in Pahalgam on April 22. In the days following the attack, an image of a woman lying next to the lifeless body of her husband went viral, becoming a symbol of the pain and heartbreak endured by victims, specially women who lost their husbands and got widowed.
However, despite the emotional dubbing of the operation, it must also be noted that these same widowed wives were being harrassed on social media when they tried to voice their opinions for peace.
Yes, this is what the Indian media will not tell you.
The woman in the photo was Himanshi Narwal, whose husband, a 26-year-old naval officer, was among the victims. The couple, who had been married for less than a week, were on their honeymoon when Vinay Narwal was shot dead. But within days, Ms Narwal, who had been portrayed as the face of the tragedy, found herself at the centre of a hate campaign. It started last week when she urged people not to target Muslims or Kashmiris as emotions ran high across the country. “People going against Muslims or Kashmiris – we don’t want this. We want peace and only peace,” Ms Narwal told reporters at a blood donation camp held by the family on what would have been her husband’s 27th birthday.
Her appeal for peace sparked a swift backlash. Within hours, many of the internet users who had earlier mourned her loss were posting abusive comments.
