This came after India said it was committed to non-escalation if Pakistan reciprocated.
Both countries have traded strikes on Saturday, the latest escalation in a conflict triggered by a massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.
Ishaq Dar, the Pakistani foreign minister, warned that if India launched any strikes, “our response will follow.”
Dar told Pakistan’s Geo News that he also conveyed this message to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he contacted him after speaking to New Delhi two hours ago.
“We responded because our patience had reached its limit. If they stop here, we will also consider stopping,” he said.
India said it targeted Pakistani military bases after Islamabad fired several high-speed missiles at multiple Indian air bases in the country’s Punjab state early Saturday.
Pakistan earlier said it intercepted most missiles targeting three air bases and that retaliatory strikes on India were underway.
Indian Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said in New Delhi that Pakistan also targeted health facilities and schools at its three air bases in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
“[A] befitting reply has been given to Pakistani actions,” she said.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said India was committed to “non-escalation” provided that Pakistan reciprocates. However, Pakistani ground forces were observed mobilizing towards forward areas, she said, “indicating an offensive intent to further escalate the situation.”
“Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,” she added.
Singh said Indian armed forces carried out “precision strikes only at identified military targets in response to Pakistani actions,” which included technical infrastructure, command and control centres, radar sites and weapon storage areas to ensure “minimum collateral damage”.
She said Pakistan had overnight launched several high-speed missiles targeting multiple air bases and civilian infrastructure in the northern Indian state of Punjab.
“All hostile actions have been effectively countered and responded to appropriately,” she said.
The Pakistani army’s actions were “provocation” and India’s response was “measured,” foreign secretary Vikram Misri said.
Misri also rejected Pakistan military’s claims that it had destroyed several air force stations in India and caused serious damages to artillery depots, military establishments and critical infrastructure, including power stations.
The Pakistani military said it used medium-range Fateh missiles to target an Indian missile storage facility and airbases in the cities of Pathankot and Udhampur. (AP)
