Report Alleges Pakistan Used Civilian Areas for Military Operations Along LoC

A report compiled from intelligence sources and open-source assessments alleges that the Pakistan Army embedded military operations within civilian-populated zones during Operation Bunyan um Marsoos in May 2025, complicating retaliatory strikes and raising concerns under international humanitarian law. The deployments, documented near the Line of Control, included drone launch sites at civilian airports and military hardware positioned in villages, schools, and residential areas, according to Indian security sources and visual evidence reviewed by Times Now.

Among the specific allegations are drone operations launched from Sialkot International Airport and near the Government Girls High School in Jandrot, Kotli district, as well as the use of Mai Bhakhtawar International Civil Airport in Islamkot for military drone sorties. Artillery systems, including the Chinese-origin SH-15 Mounted Gun, were reportedly fired from Bareela Sharif village and near Rawalakot Advance Landing Ground, with video evidence showing active firing from populated areas. Rocket launchers of the FATAH series were also positioned in villages in Shakargarh, with social media footage showing civilians near active launch sites.

Additional imagery assessments identified an air defence gun in Kotla village, tanks moving through Pasrur village, and an RBS-70 MANPADS launcher on a residential rooftop in Zafarwal, Punjab. One artillery unit was observed near Bunguna Sahib Singh School, reinforcing claims of systematic militarisation of civilian infrastructure. Military analysts, including Capt SB Tyagi (Retd), warned such dual-use deployments erode protections for non-combatants and increase risks during escalation.

Indian defence sources stated that during Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army exercised restraint in target selection to minimise collateral damage, adhering to international legal standards. The allegations emerge amid ongoing scrutiny of Pakistan's battlefield conduct and follow the post-Pahalgam Attack escalation cycle.

The Ministry of External Affairs is reviewing the findings, and the issue is expected to be raised in upcoming defence diplomacy channels. The United Nations秘书长 has not yet commented, but international humanitarian law experts have flagged the reported deployments for potential review.