Schools in Pakistan`s capital Islamabad and in Punjab province have been shut, as the country says it is preparing to respond to the Indian strikes.

Earlier on Wednesday, India said it had launched strikes on nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in response to last month`s militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. Delhi blames Islamabad for the killings - a charge it denies.

In the last few days, Pakistan’s military and government had been offering journalists escorted visits to Bahawalpur and areas near Muzaffarabad - sites that Pakistan’s military says are among the areas hit by the strikes.

Islamabad said it wanted to debunk India`s claims that these were militant training camps.

The country`s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has now said there were eight civilian casualties and 35 injured.

India has not responded to these claims.

Source: BBC