Tensions between Iran and Pakistan have escalated following the exchanges of missile strikes in previous couple of days. After Iran attacked Pakistan-occupied Balochistan, Pakistan has retaliated with missile strike that took many innocent lives in Saravan. As of now the count of deceased has reached 9 which includes women and innocent children. Among one such heart wrenching casualties is an infant named Chiragh Dost.

The infant was asleep when the Pakistan Air Force jets carried out the strike, which led to his tragic demise. Along with Chiragh his two other siblings named Hani and Baabar also lost their lives in the Pakistani attack.

In its statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that “a number of terrorists” were killed during the intelligence-based operation codenamed “Marg Bar Sarmachar.” While, Pakistan has referred to its launch through precision military strike, the killings of innocent lives portray a completely different picture.

Nonetheless, the airstrikes from both sides held simultaneously with the diplomatic exchanges in which, Iran has now summoned Pakistan’s charge d’ affairs, the top diplomat in Tehran.

Meanwhile, in anticipation of counter strikes, Islamabad is on high alert. It has issued a statement warning Iran. “Pakistan has appealed to Iran to exercise restraint and not to take any further steps which may worsen the situation,” the statement read.

Following the exchange of strikes, many countries including China, Turkey along with Afghanistan Taliban have called both the countries to exercise restraint. However, the probability of escalations still remains high. Unfortunately, both of the strikes have proved to be detrimental for the innocent people only and further escalation could also lead to the humanitarian crisis in Pakistan-occupied Balochistan.

In a retaliatory move, Pakistan conducted airstrikes within Iran, with the Pakistan Air Force reportedly targeting hideouts in Iranian territory where groups wanted by Pakistan were believed to be located.

This action came after Tehran claimed to have used “precision missile and drone strikes” to destroy two important headquarters of Pak-sponsored Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan a day earlier. In reaction, Islamabad denounced the violation of its sovereignty as “completely unacceptable” and issued a warning of “severe consequences.”

As per the Iranian media reports, the attack led to the killings of 4 children and 3 women.

Official confirmation from Pakistan

According to a statement from the Pakistan foreign ministry, the country carried out a series of well-coordinated and specifically targeted military strikes against hideouts in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran.

The statement mentioned the elimination of a “number of terrorists”, but it also acknowledged the unfortunate deaths of at least three women and four children in one of the explosions, clarifying that they were not Iranian nationals.

Reportedly, missiles launched from Pakistan hit a border village in Iran’s Sistan-Baluchistan province. Meanwhile, officials in Pakistan-occupied-Balochistan province, bordering Iran, confirmed that four missiles struck the Panjgur district near the border.
The missiles hit the village of Koh-i-Sabaz, approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) inside Pak-occupied Balochistan.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwar ul-Haq Kakar met with Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. During this meeting, Iran announced its targeting of Jaish al-Adl bases inside Pakistan using drone and missile strikes.
Jaish al-Adl, labeled a “terrorist” organization by Iran, was established in 2012 and operates in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan province. The group has previously carried out numerous attacks on Iranian security forces, including an attack in December that resulted in the deaths of at least 11 police personnel.

Iran has accused Pakistan of harbouring Jaish al-Adl, a Sunni extremist group designated as a terrorist organization by Tehran. Pakistan, in turn, has accused Iran of supporting Baloch freedom fighters fighting against the Pakistani occupation of Balochistan.

In a distressing series of events, multiple cases of abductions and forced conversions of minor Hindu girls have been reported, shedding light on the precarious situation faced by the minority Hindu community in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

In the latest development, a minor Hindu girl named Nazia, daughter of Baadal Bheel, has been forcefully converted to Islam after being abducted by a radical Islamist named, Babar Ali in Larkana, Pakistan occupied Sindh. Similarly from Pak-occupied Sindh’s Tando Allahyar, minor Hindu Varsha Kolhi became victim of abduction and forced conversion. Varsha was reportedly, abducted by Nazeer Buledi.

Apart from Nazia and Varsha, Lali Bheel, another minor Hindu girl was also abducted. This time the perpetrator named, Abdullah barged into the girl’s house in Umerkot city of Pakistan occupied Sindh and abducted her at the gunpoint. Despite recurring incidents of targeted abductions and conversions, the law enforcement has mostly remained numb while taking the action.

These abduction and conversion cases of minor Hindu girls, yet again underscore a deeply disturbing trend of harassment and persecution, particularly targeting minority Hindus. These acts appear to be driven by a bigoted pursuit of Islamization, leaving the vulnerable Hindu women and girls at the forefront of this alarming situation.