In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Mohammed Waheed was deep in slumber at his residence in Pakistan-administered Kashmir when a powerful explosion jolted him awake.
“Before we could fully comprehend the situation, additional missiles hit, leading to widespread panic and chaos,” he shared with the BBC, noting that he had leapt out of bed and fled outside with his family and neighbours.
“Amidst the chaos, children wept while women hurriedly searched for refuge.”
Mr. Waheed resides in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which was among at least three locations targeted by Indian missile strikes on Wednesday.
The Indian military has confirmed that it conducted strikes following a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. The government has attributed the attacks to militant groups operating from Pakistan, alleging that Islamabad provides them with implicit support—a claim that Pakistan has repeatedly refuted.
Witnesses in both Indian and Pakistani-administered Kashmir recounted the strikes conducted by India and detailed the subsequent shelling from Pakistan, as reported by the BBC.
According to Islamabad, eight civilians have been reported killed and 35 others injured following the strikes that occurred this morning in Pakistan.
According to reports from India’s army, at least seven civilians have lost their lives due to Pakistani shelling on the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC), which serves as the de facto border between the two nations.
‘Fatally injured while preparing tea’
Ruby Kaur, a resident of India’s Poonch district near the Line of Control, has been confirmed as one of the individuals who lost their lives in the recent events.
According to her uncle, Buava Singh, a mortar shell hit close to Ms. Kaur’s residence at approximately 1:45 am, resulting in her immediate death and injuring her daughter.
Her husband was experiencing health issues. “She was preparing to make tea for him when a mortar shell struck near her home,” he recounted.
He remarked that the intense shelling on Wednesday morning was unprecedented. According to Singh, the absence of community bunkers in the area left residents with no choice but to seek refuge in their homes.
Shrapnel struck her head. She was experiencing significant blood loss. “We hurried her to a nearby hospital, but she was pronounced dead,” Mr. Singh stated.
A resident from Poonch reported hearing “loud explosions for hours on Wednesday night.”
“A state of panic engulfed the city and surrounding regions near the Line of Control (LoC),” Dr. Zamrood Mughal stated in a phone interview.
Residents reported a sleepless night, with many unable to find rest. Residents fled their homes in search of safer locations. A shell struck the main town adjacent to the forest office, causing damage to the nearby structure.
Fearful of the uncertain future that lies ahead
Muhammad Younis Shah, reporting from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, detailed the impact of four missiles launched by India, which struck an educational complex in the Nangal Sahadan suburb, destroying a mosque.
He notes that the area is home to a school and college for children, a hostel, and a medical complex. “The initial trio of missiles struck quickly, followed by the fourth missile, which arrived after a delay of five to seven minutes.”
As rescue operations continue in the area, residents express their fears of an impending escalation in violence, leaving them anxious about what the future may hold.
“We are filled with fear and uncertainty about our next steps,” Mr. Waheed expresses. “Individuals are abandoning their residences, and the prevailing atmosphere of uncertainty is palpable.”
Shahnawaz, a resident of Muzaffarabad, shares a similar sentiment, revealing that he and his family are currently “desperately searching for safe locations.”
“There was a sense of anticipation regarding potential developments, and now a palpable fear of further escalations has taken hold.”
On Wednesday, Delhi underscored that its actions were “focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature.” However, residents in the affected regions of Pakistan-administered Kashmir reported that their mosques and residential complexes were among the locations impacted.
Mr. Waheed expressed his bewilderment to the BBC regarding the targeting of his local mosque in the recent strike, asserting that it resulted in injuries to “dozens of men and women” in his community in Muzaffarabad.
“It’s difficult to comprehend,” he states. The mosque, situated on a typical street, served as a place of worship where congregants gathered for prayers five times daily. No suspicious activity was observed in the vicinity.
On Wednesday, Delhi underscored its operations aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure, asserting that these actions were selected “based on credible intelligence inputs.”
Residents in the affected regions of Pakistan-administered Kashmir report that their mosques and residential complexes were among the locations struck.
Mr. Waheed is struggling to understand the reasoning behind the attack on his local mosque, which resulted in injuries to “dozens of men and women” in his community in Muzaffarabad.
“It’s difficult to comprehend,” he states. The mosque, situated on a typical street, served as a place of worship where congregants gathered for prayers five times daily. No suspicious activity was observed in the vicinity.
