First military strike in Pak Punjab in 54 years

When the Indian military struck at several locations across Pakistan early on Wednesday, it was for the first time since the 1971 war that the armed forces had targeted sites in Punjab province of the neighbouring country.

This is significant because earlier strikes or skirmishes, including the Kargil conflict, did not inflict any damage to the Pakistan side of Punjab — the heartland of the country.

The Pakistan military and the ruling class largely hail from the province.

In 1999, the Kargil conflict was restricted largely to the Ladakh region, around an axis of 168 km near Drass and Kargil.

In 2016, the surgical strikes following the Uri terror attack were conducted in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

After the terror attack at Pulwama in 2019, the airstrikes were limited to Balakot, which falls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Reacting to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 persons, the military targeted sites in the heart of Pakistan after 54 years.

In all, four of the nine camps targeted by the military are in Punjab, Pakistan. These are Sarjal camp, Sialkot, which is located about six kilometre from the International Border opposite Samba-Kathua; Mehmoona Joya camp, Sialkot, located around 12 km from the IB near Sialkot; Markaz Taiba, Muridke, which is around 25 km from the IB; and Markaz Subhan camp, Bahawalpur, located around 100 km from the IB was the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). This camp was used for recruitment, training and indoctrinating JeM terrorists. The facility was frequently visited by terrorist commanders, including Masood Azhar, who issued directions to cadre from the camp.