A man shows a damaged area at Singh Sabha Gurudwara caused by cross border shelling from Pakistan, in the wake of 'Operation Sindoor', in Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, Thursday, May 8. PTI
LoC shelling: Pakistan targeted Sikh community in J&K, says India
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others injured
India on Thursday (May 8) said Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu and Kashmir and hit a gurudwara in Poonch.
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The Pakistan Army continued shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in four sectors of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting a befitting response by the Indian Army, officials said on Thursday.
Thursday's shelling was the 14th consecutive night of firing along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir amid heightened tension following the Pahalgam attack.
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The Indian armed forces carried out missile attacks on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early Wednesday to avenge the April 22 terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others injured.
“Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack. Three individuals were killed in the attacks. A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured,” Misri said.
Misri also said that the choice of de-escalation is with Pakistan as it escalated the situation with the Pahalgam terror attack and India only responded to it through Operation Sindoor.
Misri said escalation started from that side (Pakistan) with the April 22 Pahalgam attack.
"Our approach is not to escalate the situation, we only responded to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack," he said.
On de-escalation of the situation, Misri said, "Pakistan escalated the situation, we only responded. Choice is with Pakistan."
He said at the UNSC meeting, Pakistan opposed mention of the role of terror group The Resistance Force (TRF) when it had already claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.