Muridke, Punjab — Residents and local officials have disproved Indian claims that a recent missile strike targeting terrorist facilities targeted their area, asserting instead that it targeted an educational and religious complex run by government. Operation Sindoor launched by India on May 7 demolished several buildings including a mosque and administrative block as part of this operation, killing three staff members while injuring one more; Al Jazeera reports (+1). Reuters provided additional coverage.
India maintains that a compound associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), an organization it holds responsible for multiple attacks including the 2008 Mumbai attack, was associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistani authorities and locals counter that this site, now known as the Government Health and Educational Complex has been under state control since 2019, after taking over assets previously associated with Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), an organization banned for suspected militant ties. The Guardian + Al Jazeera + Wikipedia
+2 Abid Hussain, who has taught at the seminary for more than three decades, refuted accusations of militant activity at its premises. “This compound has always been an educational center for children of both genders,” he noted, noting its physical education facilities that do not translate to terrorist training programs.
Al Jazeera Government officials confirmed that the complex housed a hospital, two schools, a hostel and large seminary serving more than 3,000 students and employing approximately 300 staff members. After intelligence warnings of potential attacks on these facilities, most residents and students had left days prior to any potential attack; leaving only essential personnel present on-site.
Al Jazeera reports:
The missile strike caused significant structural damage, with sections of the mosque roof collapsing and debris scattered across its compound. Residents reported hearing explosions shortly after midnight, with its effects felt several kilometers away.
Al Jazeera
Local authorities have displayed remnants of missiles to highlight the civilian nature of the facilities that were targeted, emphasizing their peaceful nature. “This was not a terrorist camp; it was a place for learning and worship,” explained Tauseef Hasan, a government official overseeing this complex.
Al Jazeera This incident has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations with long histories of conflict. Pakistani authorities have condemned India’s strike as an act of aggression while India maintains it was necessary in response to recent terrorist attacks in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Muridke residents mourn both the death and destruction of an institution dedicated to education and religious practice instead of militant activity. While international community calls for restraint, Muridke’s residents mourn what they perceive as their community’s loss of life and institution dedicated to religious practice rather than violence.