'War has been chosen by Pakistan'

NEW DELHI: As tensions escalate between India and Pakistan, former Indian cricketers Virender Sehwag and Shikhar Dhawan voiced strong support for the Indian Armed Forces, asserting that the country will deliver a firm response to recent cross-border hostilities. Taking to his official X handle, Sehwag accused Pakistan of choosing war and condemned its actions to shield terrorist elements."War has been chosen by Pakistan when they had an opportunity to keep quiet.

They have escalated to save it’s terrorist assets, speaks so much about them. Our forces will reply in the most appropriate manner, a manner Pakistan will never forget," Sehwag posted on May 8, 2025.

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Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan also expressed solidarity with the armed forces, lauding their swift and brave response."Respect to our brave hearts for protecting our borders with such strength and stopping the drone attack on Jammu. India stands strong. Jai Hind!" Dhawan wrote on X.

The reactions from the cricketers came as defence sources confirmed that Pakistan had launched eight missiles targeting key areas, including Satwari, Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia. All incoming missiles were successfully intercepted by India's air defence systems.

Explosions were reported in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, where Pakistani drones were intercepted. Similar instances occurred in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, where residents reported loud blasts and flashes of light in the sky.

As a safety measure, blackouts were enforced across several regions, including Bikaner (Rajasthan), Jalandhar and Amritsar (Punjab), and Kishtwar, Akhnoor, Samba, and Jammu in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.These developments follow India’s recent launch of Operation Sindoor, a precision military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 28 civilian lives.