State-run Pakistan Television reported Saturday that retaliatory attacks were underway after India allegedly fired missiles at three air bases inside Pakistan. The network did not provide details, and it was unclear which locations in India were being targeted in response. Pakistan's military spokesperson said most of the Indian missiles were intercepted. The exchange marks the latest escalation in a conflict sparked by a deadly gun attack last month, which India attributes to Pakistan. In the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar, blasts and gunfire were heard Saturday morning. A security official said an air base in the area had activated its defense system to neutralize a drone. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not provide further information about the drone or its origin. In Indian-controlled Kashmir, residents reported hearing multiple explosions. Mohammed Yasin, a resident of Srinagar, said, "Our home shook and windows rattled." Similar reports emerged from Srinagar, Jammu, and Udhampur. "These explosions are different from the ones we heard during previous drone attacks," said Sheesh Paul Vaid, a former top police official and resident of Jammu. "It looks like a war here." Meanwhile, the Group of Seven (G7) nations urged both India and Pakistan to show "maximum restraint." A statement released Friday by Canada on behalf of the G7 foreign ministers expressed concern for civilian safety and called for de-escalation. "Further military escalation poses a serious threat to regional stability," the statement read. "We encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome." The Indian army said late Friday that drones had been sighted in 26 locations across Indian-controlled Kashmir and other states bordering Pakistan, including Srinagar. The drones were reportedly tracked and engaged. "The situation is under close and constant watch, and prompt action is being taken wherever necessary," the army said in a statement.— Agencies
