Karachi, PAKISTAN – In the early hours Wednesday, many Pakistanis were still awake, frantically fielding an avalanche of messages. Relatives outside Pakistan said they were praying, children asked if it was safe to go to school and there was a general sense of panic and anxiety.
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Were we really at war with our neighbor?
Overnight, India had launched several airstrikes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and eastern Punjab, targeting Lahore, Bahawalpur and other areas. This was followed by more strikes near major cities, all in apparent retaliation for a recent terrorist attack on tourists in India.
India blamed Pakistan for the terrorist attacks, which killed 26 people. Pakistan denied involvement.
The specter of war between two historical rivals arose again and everyone here was frightened.
It feels jarring to know that events we had only read about in history books were now taking place before our very eyes.
For students in Pakistan, this new stress is worsened by the fact that it is exam season. Students who were previously worried about test results are now afraid for more than just their grades.
A high school student in Lahore, Amal Khan, said her Cambridge examinations for history and physics were cancelled.
She said they were “two of the biggest exams I had to study for,” clearly disappointed that her hard work was in vain.
She spoke about the strikes in Lahore.
“Indian drones that were sent into Lahore, they were shot down by tanks,” Khan said. “Many people were saying they were the type of drones with bombs.”
Khan said she was “really confused,” because things were “very scary.”
She said it was “really unclear” what was happening around her. Many Pakistanis can empathize.
Khan’s overall view remains one of hope. She recognized that people in other parts of the country – such as in Kashmir and on the Indian border – fared far worse.
“We should be grateful because there are so many people who are suffering because of this,” Khan said.
She said she hopes that the situation remains “as controlled as it is so far” and that “it doesn’t escalate.”
Indian officials said their strikes targeted terrorist cells, while Pakistani officials countered that they were mosques, homes and other civilian areas in the densely populated Punjab.
Tensions between the two countries are high. Pakistan shot down Indian planes after a drawn-out aerial fight.
The situation seems surreal.
Until recently, Karachi, one of the largest cities and a major seaport, remained untouched, but as the situation intensifies, it doesn’t feel as safe.
There were reports of a drone strike in Malir Cantonment, where a friend of mine lives, but it was apparently shot down and thankfully, we’ve heard of no casualties.
It still feels terrifying to be so aware that at any moment something could go wrong. What seemed like a petty conflict hours ago has grown into a larger scale war.
We feel tense, like we are bracing for or waiting for something to happen. It’s scary to be this helpless.
The truth is, no one really knows what comes next. All anyone can really do is hope and pray that things will normalize as soon as possible.
Until then, we have exams to worry about.
Anya Farooqui is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
