Lahore explosion: Blasts rock Pakistan as Islamabad ‘shoots down Indian drones’ | World | News

Pakistan‘s air defence system reportedly shot down an Indian drone in the early hours of Thursday in Lahore, according to Pakistani officials. This comes as India evacuates thousands from villages near the heavily militarised border in the disputed Kashmir region.

The latest drone incident follows Indian missile strikes on Pakistani locations that resulted in 31 civilian deaths, including women and children, just a day earlier, officials claim. Tensions have exploded between the two nations since April 22, after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Indian Hindu tourists, in India-controlled Kashmir. India has accused Pakistan of supporting the terrorists responsible for the attack, a claim Islamabad denies.

Local police official Mohammad Rizwan reported that a drone was brought down near Walton Airport, a residential area airfield in Lahore that also houses military installations, approximately 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the Indian border.

Reports from local media suggest that two more drones were shot down in other cities within Punjab province, where Lahore is the capital.

Two security officials confirmed that a small Indian drone was taken down by Pakistan’s air defence system.

They requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

It remains unclear whether the drone was armed. The incident has yet to be independently verified, and there has been no immediate comment from Indian officials.

In the district of Chakwal in Punjab, a drone crashed into farmland.

There were no reported casualties and it remains unclear who the drone belonged to.

Footage apparently showing the aftermath of the explosion was shared on X by one user who commented: “Indian drone infiltration failed in Lahore, Chakwal and Sialkot, Pakistan Army shot down all three drones.

“A drone was destroyed by a powerful explosion near Walton Airport in Lahore, no debris was found. The destroyed drones in Sialkot and Chakwal.”

There has been no immediate indication of when or if formal diplomatic channels between New Delhi and Islamabad will reopen.

Both sides have withdrawn senior diplomatic staff in recent months, and military activity along the Line of Control has steadily increased since the April 22 massacre.

Analysts have warned that the use of drones, especially near major population centres like Lahore, marks a dangerous escalation with the potential to draw in international actors.

One regional security expert based in Islamabad, who requested anonymity, warned: “The risk of miscalculation is rising rapidly.”

Diplomatic sources at the UN said the Security Council may convene an emergency session if hostilities continue.

Meanwhile, airspace restrictions remain in place on both sides of the border, and commercial flights have been rerouted away from conflict zones.

Travel warnings have been issued by several Western governments advising citizens to avoid the region.