Pakistan used civilian airliners as shield, kept airspace open after launching failed drone and missile attack: India

The Indian government on Friday strongly condemned Pakistan for what it described as a reckless and hazardous act of keeping its civilian airspace open while launching a drone and missile assault on multiple Indian cities on Thursday night.

At a press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) detailed the incident, stating that Pakistan initiated an unprovoked aerial attack on 7 May at approximately 8:30 pm, targeting Indian territory with a combination of drones and missiles. Notably, despite the offensive, Pakistan chose not to close its airspace to civilian traffic—a move India claims was a calculated attempt to use commercial aircraft as cover, potentially deterring an immediate counterstrike.

“Pakistan refrained from shutting down its civil airspace despite carrying out an unprovoked and unsuccessful drone and missile attack on Indian cities,” said Wing Commander Singh. “This shows a clear and dangerous tactic of using civilian airliners as shields, fully aware that India’s air defence forces would respond robustly.”

Singh warned of the grave risks posed to both domestic and international flights near the International Border (IB), particularly in the Punjab region, during the period of heightened tension. The IAF, during the briefing, presented radar evidence highlighting continuous civil aviation activity over Pakistan, contrasting it with India’s swift action to shut down its airspace in the affected zones to safeguard lives.

“The radar data we displayed, sourced from FlightRadar24, demonstrates that while India cleared its skies to protect civilian life, Pakistani airspace between Karachi and Lahore remained busy with commercial flights, even as hostilities unfolded,” Singh added.

India has denounced Pakistan’s conduct as irresponsible, asserting that the safety of innocent passengers aboard international carriers was recklessly compromised. Singh further noted that the IAF exercised "immense restraint," choosing not to retaliate immediately to avoid endangering civilian aircraft traversing Pakistani skies.

The latest confrontation saw tensions between the two neighbours surge dramatically. The Pakistani attack, which struck areas in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan, was confirmed by India’s Ministry of Defence to have originated from Pakistan. Indian air defence systems successfully intercepted the attempted strike, leading to temporary blackouts and the sounding of air raid sirens in several cities.