In view of the increasing tension in India and Pakistan, the people of the state were worried overnight amid ‘Blackout’ on Thursday in several districts of Punjab, including major border areas like Amritsar, Pathankot and Ferozepur.
There was also a ‘blackout’ in districts like Jalandhar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur in Punjab. The authorities also cut power for about two hours till midnight in the common capital of Punjab and Haryana Chandigarh.
The move was taken at a time when India failed Pakistan’s efforts to attack military bases including Jammu and Pathankot on Thursday night.
Earlier, India thwarted similar efforts at 15 places in the northern and western regions of the country. The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that the Pakistani army tried to target Avantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttaralai and Bhuj on the night of seven-eight May.
The incident took place at a time when the Indian Armed Forces carried out accurate missile attacks on nine terrorist bases in Pakistan -occupied Kashmir (POK) and Pakistan on Wednesday in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April.
Some locals in Pathankot claimed that they heard the explosion -like voices on Thursday night, although there was no official confirmation. Peace remained on Friday morning.
The sirens that warned of airstrikes in the border city were activated. ‘Blackout’ was done in the city on Thursday night at around 8.30 pm. Some local people said on Friday that they were concerned about the developments but they were confident of India’s Armed Forces immediately failed the efforts of Pakistan.
Peace remained in the major border districts of Amritsar and Ferozepur on Friday morning. Baldev Chand, an elderly elderly on a regular walk on Friday in Chandigarh, said that there were some worrying moments last night but the way the Indian armed forces failed Pakistan’s efforts, it seems that there is nothing to worry about.
In many districts of Punjab, on Thursday night, authorities appealed to people to close the lights of their homes and stay at home. He insisted that there is no need to panic.
Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal asked the citizens to stay inside their homes and follow the ‘Blackout Protocol’. ‘Blackout’ was also done in Rupnagar, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Sangrur, Bathinda, Patiala and Panchkula in Haryana as a precautionary step to ensure the safety of citizens.
In view of the increasing tension between India and Pakistan, the Punjab government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions for the next three days. In Chandigarh too, officials have closed all schools till Saturday.
