Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif early Wednesday called India's strikes on Pakistani cities and Pakistan-administered Kashmir a "cowardly attack" and that Islamabad was giving a “befitting reply” to the “act of war" by New Delhi.

The "Pakistani nation and the Pakistani armed forces know how to deal with the enemy very well," Sharif said in a statement.

“The enemy will never be allowed to succeed in his nefarious objectives,” he added.

Earlier, India said it launched missile attacks, targeting nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Lt Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesman of Pakistan's military, said India had fired missiles on the cities of Bahawalpur, Muridke, Bagh, Muzaffarabad and Kotli from its own air space.

The escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors comes in the wake of April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 people were killed. India had blamed Pakistan for the attack, claiming there were cross-border links.

Pakistan denied that it had anything to do with the killings.

In a separate statement, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry called the Indian attack an "unprovoked and blatant act of war" and called it a violation of its sovereignty.

"The situation continues to evolve. Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with the Article-51 of the UN Charter, and as enshrined in international law," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Punjab province, which has a border with India, declared a state of emergency and ordered closure of all educational institutions on Wednesday.