CHANDIGARH: A blackout was enforced in several areas of Punjab, including in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur, on Friday evening amid a military standoff between India and Pakistan. The sound of loud explosions was heard in Pathankot and Ferozepur districts. But there was no official confirmation on what caused the sounds. Official sources said air raid sirens were sounded in Ferozepur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Hoshiarpur districts.
India on Thursday night swiftly thwarted Pakistan’s fresh attempts to strike military sites with drones and missiles, including in Jammu and Pathankot, after foiling similar bids at 15 places in northern and western regions of the country, as tensions soared between the two countries amid fears of a wider conflict.
The renewed attempts and intense shelling by the Pakistani forces on the Line of Control(LoC) and the International Border(IB) in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan came after India on Thursday morning targeted Pakistani air defence systems at multiple cities with one in Lahore being “neutralised”.
The Indian armed forces on Wednesday carried out precise missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan under ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Taking into consideration the rising tensions between India and Pakistan post the Pahalgam terror attack, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday directed his ministers to camp in the border areas so that residents do not face any inconvenience. The chief minister in a Cabinet meeting held here asked the ministers of the border areas to be permanently stationed at their respective towns.
