Ambulances leave from a complex near the site of a suspected Indian missile attack, in Muridke, a town in Pakistan’s Punjab province K.M. Chaudary/Alamy
Conflict
“The security situation is tense and unpredictable,” the Department of Foreign Affairs has said.
THE DEPARTMENT OF Foreign Affairs is warning Irish citizens not to travel to certain areas of India and Pakistan after India fired missiles into Pakistan last night.
“Following military activity by India and Pakistan on 6 and 7 May, Irish citizens are advised to exercise caution in public places, stay alert, monitor local news reports and to follow the advice of local authorities,” the department has said.
“India’s military has stated that it has attacked several targets in the Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir regions of Pakistan on the night of May 7, with reports of a Pakistani military response into Indian territory. A state of emergency has subsequently been declared in the Punjab province of Pakistan,” it said.
“The security situation is tense and unpredictable.”
Travellers are being warned that flight delays and disruptions are likely, with Pakistan having temporarily closed its airspace.
The government is advising Irish travellers to avoid staying near the border areas and to exercise caution. Travellers should stay up to date via the media, local authorities, and their hotel, travel agency or airline, and follow the instructions of the local authorities.
It is advising against all travel:
- to the Kashmir region,
- to the province of Balochistan,
- to the border area between India and Pakistan and the Line of Control area; the Wagah border crossing is closed,
- the former FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas),
- in the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa: the districts of Charsadda, Kohat, Tank, Bannu, Lakki, Dera Ismail Khan, Swat, Buner and Lower Dir in North Waziristan, Upper South and Lower South Waziristan,
- to the city of Peshawar and districts south of the city, including travel on the Peshawar to Chitral road via the Lowari Pass,
- on the Karakoram Highway between Islamabad and Gilgit.
At least 26 people were killed by India’s strikes last night.
Pakistani officials said the strikes hit at least two sites previously tied to banned militant groups and India claimed to have destroyed “nine terrorist camps” in strikes.
India said it targeted infrastructure that was used by militants linked to the killings of tourists in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir last month.
At least seven civilians were killed in Indian-controlled parts of Kashmir by shelling from Pakistan, the Indian army said in a statement, and Pakistan says it shot down five Indian jets.
Reacting to last night’s airstrikes, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the “deceitful enemy has carried out cowardly attacks” and that Pakistan would retaliate.
“Pakistan has every right to give a robust response to this act of war imposed by India, and a strong response is indeed being given,” he said.