Indian Strikes Kill Student, Her Brother, and Army Officer’s 7-Year-Old Son in AJK

ISLAMABAD — In a wave of deadly missile strikes on May 7, Indian forces targeted multiple civilian areas in Pakistan, killing 26 innocent people and injuring 46 others, according to security officials. Among the martyred were a university student, her younger brother, and a seven-year-old child, the son of a Pakistan Army officer.

The strikes, described by Pakistani authorities as “deliberate and cowardly,” sparked national mourning and drew swift retaliatory action from Pakistan’s armed forces, who confirmed the downing of five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, a combat drone, and the destruction of an Indian brigade headquarters and several checkposts.

Young Lives Lost

In Kotli, a missile destroyed a house adjacent to Abbas Mosque, killing 22-year-old Misbah Kausar, a Bachelor of Science student at the University of Kotli, and her younger brother Umar Musa. Their funeral prayers were held in the Nakyal sector.

Meanwhile, seven-year-old Irtiza Abbas Turi, the son of Lt Col Zaheer Abbas, was martyred in a separate attack on the Dwarandi area of Azad Kashmir during the night between May 6 and 7. His funeral took place on Wednesday with attendance from Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership, including President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief General Asim Munir, and Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf.

Mourning and Protests

Funeral prayers for other victims were held across cities including Bahawalpur and Muridke, drawing large crowds. In Muzaffarabad, prayers were offered for 80-year-old Muhammad Yaqoob, who was martyred during the shelling. After the funerals, citizens staged a protest rally from College Ground to Padhawa Chowk, denouncing India’s aggression.

Security officials condemned the attacks, stating that Indian forces had intentionally targeted civilians, including women and children. “These are cruel, inhumane acts that have shaken the nation,” one official remarked. The military vowed to continue retaliatory operations.

Damage and Casualties

The full extent of the Indian strikes is as follows:

• Ahmedpur East, Masjid Subhanullah: 13 martyred (including two 3-year-old girls and seven women), 37 injured.

• Muzaffarabad, Masjid Bilal: 3 martyred, two children injured.

• Kotli, Masjid Abbas: Two teenagers martyred, a mother and child injured.

• Muridke, Masjid Ummul Qura: 3 men martyred, one injured.

• Sialkot and Shakargarh: Minor structural damage; no casualties.

• Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project: Noseri Dam damaged.

Escalation Amid Tensions

The attacks follow Indian claims that Pakistan was responsible for the deaths of more than two dozen tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)—an accusation Islamabad has categorically denied.

 

As families across the affected areas mourn their losses, Pakistan’s military response continues, escalating tensions along the Line of Control (LoC).