Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that tensions with India could escalate further after what he described as an Indian attack on the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project, calling the situation “serious and concerning.”

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament House in Islamabad, the minister said Pakistan had no choice but to respond. “When such actions are taken, a response becomes inevitable,” he said, adding that the prime minister would soon take Parliament and the public into confidence.

Khawaja Asif revealed that the armed forces of Pakistan had been authorised to formulate and execute an appropriate response. “The Pakistan Army has been given full authority to respond. A forceful reply was delivered last night, and Modi has been left with nothing,” he said, adding that further provocations from India could not be ruled out.

“We targeted only military installations in our response,” the minister clarified. “India, on the other hand, deliberately targeted civilian areas across Pakistan under the guise of false pretexts. They struck six to seven locations—this is not a sign of de-escalation.”

The escalation follows India’s reported airstrikes on civilian areas in Pakistan during the night, widely condemned as an act of war. In retaliation, Pakistan’s armed forces launched a powerful counter-offensive, reportedly shooting down five Indian warplanes—including three Rafale jets—and destroying a brigade headquarters along with several military posts.

Following Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told the media early Wednesday morning that Indian forces had raised a white flag at the Chura complex along the Line of Control (LoC), effectively conceding defeat.

“Our forces inflicted heavy damage on enemy positions across the LoC,” Tarar said. “After Pakistan’s effective response, multiple Indian posts were destroyed, and we downed five fighter jets and one drone.”

Military sources have confirmed that counterattacks by Pakistani forces are ongoing, with reports indicating substantial losses on the Indian side.