Indian strikes martyr student, her brother and army officer's 7-year-old son in AJK

• Missile strike near mosque martyrs 2 siblings in Kotli.
• Army officer's minor son martyred in separate attack.
• Funeral prayers for martyrs offered in different cities.

Three youngsters — a university student, her younger brother, and the 7-year-old son of a Pakistan Army officer — were martyred in Indian missile attacks on civilian areas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), security officials said Wednesday.

In a devastating response to Indian aggression, Pakistan armed forces shot down five Indian Air Force (IAF) jets, a combat drone, and destroyed a brigade headquarters, including several checkposts, after New Delhi carried out missile strikes.

India's attacks on different cities in Pakistan resulted in the martyrdom of 31 innocent civilians, while 57 others have sustained injuries, according to DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

In Kotli, a missile strike destroyed a house next to Abbas Mosque, martyring 22-year-old Misbah Kausar, a BS student at the University of Kotli, and her little brother, Umar Musa. Their funerals were held in the Nakyal sector.

In a separate attack, seven-year-old Irtiza Abbas Turi, son of Lt Col Zaheer Abbas, was martyred during a strike in the Dwarandi area of Azad Kashmir on the night of May 6–7. 

The funeral prayer for Irtaza was solemnly held in Islamabad, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) handout.

The ceremony was attended by several high-profile dignitaries. These included the Honourable President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, and Prime Minister Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Ishaq Dar; Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif; and the Information Minister.

From the military leadership, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf attended the funeral.

A large number of senior serving and retired military officers, government and civilian officials, soldiers, and relatives of the martyr were also in attendance.

Meanwhile, funeral prayers were offered for several people martyred in Indian attacks on cities, including Bahawalpur and Muridke, and were attended by large crowds.

In Muzaffarabad, prayers were held for 80-year-old Muhammad Yaqoob, who was martyred in the shelling. A funeral was held for the university student and his brother in Nakyal.

Ministers, lawmakers, and senior civil and military officials from the Azad Kashmir government attended the funerals.

After the prayers, citizens held a protest rally from College Ground to Padhawa Chowk, condemning India’s aggression.

Security officials condemned the attacks as deliberate and cowardly, saying Indian forces targeted unarmed civilians, including women and children, without provocation.

“These are cruel, inhumane acts that have shaken the nation,” one official said, adding that Pakistan’s military is already taking strong retaliatory action and will continue to do so.

The targeted areas remain in mourning as families bury their loved ones and demand justice.

The military escalation along the LoC comes after India launched strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan in the wee hours of Wednesday.

India claims it took the measures in response to the killing of more than two dozen tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), for which India blames Pakistan, a claim that Islamabad has vehemently denied.

Details of Indian attacks

Ahmedpur East, Masjid Subhanullah — 13 martyred | two 3-year-old girls, seven women, four men. 37 injured | nine women, 28 men.

Muzaffarabad, Masjid Bilal — 3 martyred. One girl and one boy were injured

Kotli, Masjid Abbas — 16-year-old girl, 18-year-old boy martyred. One mother and her child were injured.

Muridke, Masjid Ummul Qura — 3 men martyred. One injured.

Sialkot — No damages reported.

Shakargarh — No damages were reported; one dispensary was damaged.

Attack damages Noseri Dam at Pakistan's Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power Project.