IMF reimbursement to Pak will not help in de-escalation of hostilities with India: J&K CM Omar

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed serious concern over the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reimbursement to Pakistan, which the CM said would not help de-escalation of hostilities between India and Pakistan.

“I’m not sure how the "International Community” thinks the current tension in the subcontinent will be de-escalated when the IMF essentially reimburses Pakistan for all the ordnance it is using to devastate Poonch, Rajouri, Uri, Tangdhar & so many other places”, Omar said on X.

In heavy artillery shelling on Poonch civilian area on Saturday, the Additional District Development Commissioner (ADDC) was killed.

Pakistan has launched a massive missile or drone attack on Srinagar airfield and in the retaliatory response two Pakistani jets have been shot down in Srinagar, official sources said.

“The hunt is now on to trace the pilots of these downed Pakistani jets," sources said, although an official confirmation is still awaited.

Pakistan has also hit the Rehari residential area in Jammu city in which a residential house and a number of parked vehicles have been damaged.

Heavy artillery shelling continued on Saturday morning along the Line Of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts. Indian positions are effectively responding to Pakistan shelling on civilian facilities.

For the last three days, Pakistan had been carrying out drone strikes in J&K. Most of those drones were neutralised by the Air Defence System. Two loud blasts occurred in Srinagar on Saturday morning while three massive blasts were heard in Akhnoor town of Jammu division.

The Police Lines in Poonch came under direct attack, though no casualties were reported on the Indian side in that specific incident. Civilian homes, schools, and religious sites, including a gurdwara, a mosque, and a Geeta Bhawan, have sustained severe damage.

Over the past few days, at least 16 innocent lives have been lost, including women and children, with 59 others injured across the affected regions, including Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, and Mendhar.

The shelling has caused widespread panic, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate to safer areas. Markets in Poonch have shut down, and educational institutions in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch remain closed.

A complete blackout was enforced in Jammu on Friday evening. Authorities have closed all schools, colleges and universities in J&K, adding that the situation would be reviewed on May 12.

All civil flights have been suspended from Srinagar airport after the Air Force took over the airport. All Haj flights from Srinagar to Saudi Arabia have also remained suspended during the last three days.