In a bold revelation, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force has accused Pakistan of endangering civilian lives by keeping its airspace open during a failed drone and missile attack on India. Addressing a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Singh highlighted that Pakistan’s decision to allow civil airliners to operate near the conflict zone was a deliberate tactic to use them as shields against India’s anticipated air defense response.
“Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on May 7 at 8:30 PM,” Singh stated. “They are using civil airliners as a shield, fully aware that their attack on India would elicit a swift air defense response.”
Singh emphasized the danger posed to unsuspecting international flights operating near the India-Pakistan border, noting that while India had closed its airspace due to heightened alert, Pakistan allowed civil airlines to continue flying, including those on the Karachi-Lahore route. “This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners,” she added.
During the briefing, Singh presented data from the FlightRadar24 application, illustrating the presence of civilian aircraft in Pakistani airspace during the high alert situation in the Punjab sector. She also revealed that in response to Pakistan’s attack, India launched armed drones at four air defense sites in Pakistan, successfully destroying an air defense radar on May 8.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi further disclosed that on the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace multiple times across the western border, targeting military infrastructure. “Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations,” Qureshi said. “The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means.”
The Indian Armed Forces’ Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, targeting nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation aimed to neutralize threats and prevent further attacks on Indian soil.
India’s restraint and precision in its defensive measures underscore its commitment to safeguarding civilian lives while countering aggression. The international community must recognize and condemn tactics that endanger innocent lives, as demonstrated by Pakistan’s actions.
