Pakistan downs 77 Indian drones in two days: security sources

Pakistan has intercepted and destroyed 77 drones from India over the past two days, security sources told Nukta, marking a dramatic escalation in cross-border hostilities with India.

According to the sources, Pakistani forces shot down multiple more drones—reportedly Israeli-made—in the Punjab districts of Vehari, Okara, and Pakpattan. The drones were allegedly part of a broader Indian operation that targeted major cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi.

In one incident on Friday, at least two civilians were injured when a drone struck an agricultural field in Okara, a city near Pakistan’s eastern border. Rescue officials confirmed the injuries and said operations are ongoing.

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Drones being tracked via radar: Pakistan Army

“All drones entering Pakistani territory from bordering India are being tracked via radar,” said a military spokesperson. “Our defense systems can detect even the smallest drones.”

In Rawalpindi, three drones were shot down near high-security zones, including the Pakistan Army headquarters, a food street, and the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches were scheduled with international players present. The tournament was later moved to UAE.

Pakistan’s military confirmed that Indian drone strikes have caused multiple casualties and at least one civilian death.

India says it repulsed Pakistani drones

India, meanwhile, has claimed it shot down two Pakistani fighter jets during a retaliatory operation—a claim that Pakistan has strongly denied.

Indian Army also accused Pakistan of launching multiple drone and missile attacks along the western border on Thursday night and early Friday. Pakistan has refuted this, calling the allegations "baseless and politically motivated."

Debris of a scooter damaged by a cross-border shelling lies on a road in Poonch near the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan, May 8Reuters

Indian cities on high alert

Indian cities near the border are also on high alert. Sirens blared for more than two hours in Amritsar on Friday, and residents were told to stay indoors.

In Kashmir’s Uri sector, heavy artillery shelling overnight left one woman dead and several homes damaged, according to a local security official told Reuters.

Precautionary evacuations were initiated in other regions near the border, including Gujarat’s Bhuj and Rajasthan’s Bikaner. Schools and public institutions were shut down as authorities braced for further escalations.

Latest escalation

The latest round of hostilities was triggered by a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, where 26 Indian tourists were killed by unknown gunmen. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, while Islamabad denied any involvement and called for an impartial investigation.

On Wednesday, India said it struck nine “terrorist camps” in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan denied the presence of militant sites, saying 31 civilians were killed. It also claimed to have shot down five Indian jets—an assertion India dismissed, though some reports partially confirmed the damage.

Clashes have since intensified along the Line of Control and beyond.

Global powers urge calm

Global powers including the United States and China have called for de-escalation.

“We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible,” said U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Thursday. “We can’t control these countries, though.”

Worst military flare-up

The current crisis marks the worst military flare-up between India and Pakistan since the 1999 Kargil conflict.

For the first time since the 1971 war, Indian strikes targeted cities deep within Pakistan’s mainland.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947—two of them over Kashmir. The latest tensions come at a fragile time for Pakistan’s economy and risk spiraling into a broader regional conflict.