Muzaffarabad: The principal of a school adjacent to a mosque hit last week in an Indian strike in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir, said there were “no terrorists” there contrary to New Delhi’s claim, as the school prepared to reopen today, Tuesday. 

An Indian strike damaged the school and adjoining mosque on May 7 in Muzaffarabad, the main town in the part of the disputed Kashmir region administered by Pakistan. India hit Pakistan and Azad Kashmir with missiles that day and Pakistan, vowing retaliation, said it had shot down five Indian aircraft.

Authorities confirmed three deaths and one injury following the overnight attack on Bilal mosque in Muzaffarabad, part of the worst escalation between the two nuclear-armed rivals in over two decades.

India said it struck nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites, some of them linked to an attack by militants that killed 25 Hindu tourists and one local in Indian-administered Kashmir last month. Islamabad has denied New Delhi’s allegations it was involved. 

“There are no terrorists here. This is a place of worship. People offer prayers here. Our children and all the people in the vicinity say five times prayers here,” said school principal of Al-Hadi Public School, Saima Maqsood, as cleaning work continued at the school.

The schools will re-open today, Tuesday, according to a government notification.

On Monday evening, Indian premier Narendra Modi said Pakistan would have to get rid of its “terrorist infrastructure” if it wants to be “saved,” his first comments on the military clashes with Pakistan since last week’s deadly fighting between the two countries.

The military operations chiefs of India and Pakistan spoke by phone on Monday, the Indian army said, as New Delhi reopened airports and shares rose in both countries following a ceasefire that paused days of intense fighting last week.

“The world knows what happened with India. Now, it will not dare attack again,” said Bilal mosque worshipper Roshan Mughal. 

“The mosque, Allah’s home, will be rebuilt. The sacrifices, the martyrdom of three people here at the mosque, and elsewhere ... have awakened Muslims and they have shown the world that Pakistan has the power to fight. Its armed forces are well prepared to defend the country.”