Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has stated that the current hostilities between India and Pakistan can de-escalate only if New Delhi steps back from its “aggressive posture.” His comments follow India’s launch of Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine suspected terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Speaking to Bloomberg, Asif insisted that Pakistan’s response to the Indian strikes was purely defensive. “This has been initiated by India. If India is ready to back down, we will definitely wrap up this tension,” he said. “As long as we are under attack, under fire, we have to respond. We have to defend ourselves.”

Following India’s strikes, Pakistan claimed to have launched retaliatory action along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan’s military spokesperson Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the Indian airstrikes on alleged terror sites in PoK and Punjab province.

In response, Pakistan placed the country on high alert:

• Airspace was shut for all flights for 24–36 hours.
• Schools and colleges in Islamabad and Punjab were closed.
• Government hospitals were put on emergency standby.
• Military forces were mobilised.

Among the targets hit by Indian forces were key locations such as:

• Masjid SubhanAllah in Bahawalpur, believed to be a hideout of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar.
• Muridke, the known base of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed.
• Other sites in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bagh in PoK.

The sudden escalation has alarmed citizens on both sides of the border, raising fears of a broader conflict.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened an emergency National Security Committee (NSC) meeting to assess the security situation and strategize the next steps. Sharif is expected to address the nation on Wednesday afternoon. The meeting will also consider international mediation efforts, with the U.S. urging both nations to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation.