Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif stated that Pakistan is giving a "befitting reply" after India said it carried out "precision strikes" on what it described as "terrorist infrastructure" at nine sites in Pakistan. Sharif characterised the Indian action as a "cowardly attack" and an "act of war." "The cunning enemy has carried out a cowardly attack on five places in Pakistan," Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement. "Pakistan has every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war imposed by India and a befitting reply is being given." Sharif added: "The entire nation is with the Pakistani Armed Forces and the morale and spirit of the entire Pakistani nation is high. The Pakistani nation and the Pakistani Armed Forces know how to deal with the enemy very well. The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives." India said its strikes, which took place early on Wednesday morning local time, were "focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature." Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours have been escalating since last month when New Delhi blamed Islamabad for an attack by militants in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people. Pakistan has previously denied any involvement in that attack. While India's defence ministry did not specify the locations of the strikes in Pakistan, it said it was "hitting terrorist infrastructure." The ministry added that "no Pakistani military facilities have been targeted," saying "India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution." Since the killings in Kashmir last month, the two countries have downgraded diplomatic relations, and India has suspended participation in a key water-sharing treaty.
