ALL EYES ON POONCH ( J&K)

Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch has now become a tragic town. The streets lie deserted, as fear has gripped every soul. After Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan Army suddenly provoked and opened indiscriminate firing, killing many innocent people. A total of 16 civilians lost their lives in Poonch alone. Among them were a soldier, five children, and three women. Places of worship like Gurdwaras and temples, as well as schools and homes, were destroyed. Hashtags like #AllIsPoonch and #PoonchIsBleeding are now trending on social media, reflecting the national anguish.

Before the attack on Poonch, Pakistani drones attempted to launch missile strikes on 15 cities in India. Fortunately, India’s defense system successfully intercepted and neutralized these drones, preventing a catastrophe that could have caused massive destruction in those regions.

The Poonch attack was a response to India’s targeted strikes under Operation Sindoor. In retaliation, the Indian Armed Forces neutralized the Pakistani air defense system in Lahore. Among those martyred was Lance Naik Dinesh Kumar, a brave soldier from Haryana. If tensions between India and Pakistan spiral into a full-scale war, he may be remembered as the first martyr of the Fourth Indo-Pak War.

Poonch is a border district in Jammu and Kashmir, just 5 kilometers from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Surrounded by hills, it is a strategically vulnerable region. Taking advantage of this, the Pakistan Army began mortar shelling at 5:30 AM on May 1st, continuing for over six hours. These mortars can be launched from several kilometers away and cause severe destruction, especially when fired in volleys.

The early morning shelling caught residents by surprise. Locals reported chaotic scenes as people ran out of their homes. Blood-stained streets told the story of a morning no one will forget. Lance Naik Dinesh died on the spot, and 16 lives were lost in total, including three women and five children. Over 50 people were critically injured, with hospitals overflowing and the death toll feared to rise.

The entire town has since been evacuated. Families fled to safer locations, many seeking refuge with relatives in distant places. Though the army has set up a base in the region, locals fear that the camp itself might come under attack. Not only homes but also mosques, schools, and temples were leveled by shelling.

The geography of Poonch made it difficult to identify the direction of incoming fire. Shells rained from multiple angles, causing confusion and chaos. The focus of the army shifted to rescuing civilians and transporting the injured, which delayed their ability to respond effectively.

Following this massacre, India retaliated with surgical precision, disabling Pakistan's air defense system in Lahore. The Indian Army only targeted terrorist camps, avoiding civilian areas and military installations. Despite this, Pakistan claimed Indian forces had harmed civilians and vowed revenge. However, Indian authorities clarified that only terrorist infrastructure was targeted.

The duplicity of Pakistan becomes evident in their response. Though they claim not to support terrorism, they retaliated aggressively when India struck terrorist hideouts. Furthermore, Pakistan held official funerals for terrorists, with army and police officers in attendance, revealing their hypocrisy. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Mistry presented this evidence, including images of these state-sanctioned ceremonies.

If civilians had died in India’s operation, the reaction might have been different. Instead, Pakistan used this narrative to stoke emotions and justify retaliation. Meanwhile, internal unrest in Pakistan is growing. The Balochistan Liberation Army has also intensified its attacks, recently killing 14 Pakistani soldiers by blowing up a military vehicle—adding to Pakistan’s domestic challenges.

Faced with Indian military pressure on one side and internal rebellion on the other, Pakistan’s administration is cornered. Its flawed policies have turned both its own citizens and the international community against it. The Indian Defense Ministry has clearly stated: if Pakistan ceases its provocations, India will too. But if attacks continue, India is fully prepared to escalate.