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The ongoing Pak-India cyber war has escalated sharply amid growing border tensions following the Pahalgam attack. According to Pakistani journalists Umar Cheema and Ihtisham Ul Haq, the PAF Cyber Force has allegedly hacked several critical Indian government websites, including those of the Assam Rifles and the Atomic Energy departments.
The stolen data is reportedly now up for sale on the Dark Web. However, these claims have not been independently verified as of yet.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have remained high after the recent deadly incident in Pahalgam, with diplomatic ties and military operations both experiencing strain. The reported cyberattacks add a digital front to an already volatile situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
Pakistani Hackers Take Control of Republic World
Pakistani hackers briefly hacked and defaced the website of Republic World, a media outlet led by controversial anchor Arnab Goswami, known for his harsh anti-Pakistan stance. The attackers posted a threatening message, claiming the capability to retaliate with “force that exceeds all expectations.”
This breach followed Operation Salar, a cyber campaign launched earlier this week in which Pakistani hackers claimed to take control of four Indian websites. The group says the attacks were in response to Indian cyber activity, propaganda, and human rights violations in Kashmir.
Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos Destroys Key Indian Installation
The Pak-India cyber war comes amid the ongoing Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, a wide-scale retaliatory campaign targeting key Indian military assets.
According to security sources, the counter-attack began in the early hours of Saturday, focusing on sites identified as launch points for previous missile attacks on Pakistan, including areas where civilians and mosques were targeted. Among the high-value Indian targets reportedly neutralized are the BrahMos missile storage facility in the Beas area, Udhampur Airbase, and Pathankot Airfield—now rendered non-operational.
Military officials confirmed that the strikes were strategic, aimed at degrading India’s offensive capabilities. DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated in a press briefing that Pakistan’s response was “measured yet forceful,” affirming that no PAF flying assets were lost in the earlier Indian assault.
