Nur Khan, Murid and Rafiqui: Why these 3 Pakistan air bases were targeted by India

NEW DELHI: After Pakistan attacked 26 locations across LoC, India reportedly launched missiles targeting three Pakistani air bases on Saturday. This development follows heightened tensions after April 22 terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 tourists, including a Nepali national.Reports claim that explosions were heard at three Pakistani installations - Nur Khan air base in Rawalpindi, Murid air base in Chakwal and Rafiqui air base in eastern Punjab province's Jhang district. Nur Khan air basePakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan, situated in Chaklala, Rawalpindi is around 10km from Islamabad, Pakistan capital. It is an active airbase that encompasses the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport within its grounds.The facility, originally established as RAF Station Chaklala and later known as PAF Base Chaklala, continues to serve as a vital military installation in Pakistan.The base is also home to PAF College Chaklala, which trains Aviation Cadets, and Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan, providing additional educational facilities on the premises.Murid air baseLocated near Punjab's Chakwal District, Murid serves as an operational flying base for the Pakistan Air Force. The base is notable for housing the PAF's UCAV and UAV fleet.The base plays a strategic role in Pakistan's air defense capabilities through its unmanned aerial vehicle operations.Rafiqui air basePakistan Air Force Base Rafiqui, situated near Shorkot in Jhang District, is a major military installation located 337 kilometers south of Islamabad. The base features a 10,000-foot runway with a parallel taxiway that serves as an emergency landing strip.The airbase was previously known as PAF Base Shorkot before being renamed after Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, a fighter pilot from the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.The base's infrastructure includes a primary runway and an emergency taxiway system that allows for aircraft recovery operations when needed.Earlier, army reported that drones were detected in 26 locations across LoC. The army confirmed tracking and engaging these drones. On Thursday, India prevented Pakistani drone and missile attacks on military installations across multiple cities, including Jammu.