Pakistan capitulates under “Operation Sindoor”
There is no doubt that Pakistan had capitulated under the attacks of Operation Sindoor launched by India when their DGMO sought a cease fire. This reprisal by India for the Pahalgam attacks on April 22, 2025 by the terrorists from Pakistan was warranted and undertaken. 26 people , all tourists except for one, were killed. It had enraged the whole of India. Specially, people of Kashmir whose lives and businesses were ruined. So when a Pakistan-based terror group “The Resistance Front”, an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had claimed responsibility, the die was cast. By now the anatomy and the ingredients of this operation are well known. First, in the early hours of May 7, India had launched “precision strikes” on nine terror targets in Pakistan. The strikes killed more than 100 terrorists.
The attacks were reportedly carried out by IAF aircraft using SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer glide bombs over a 23-minute duration. Reportedly, BrahMos cruise missiles as well as Indian Army’s Indo-Israeli Sky Striker loitering munitions were also used in the operation. India had used Rafale fighter jets equipped with these weapons. During the Balakot airstrike in 2019, India had deployed Mirage 2000 jets to attack Jihadi training camps Some description of these weapon systems and the logic of their utilization had appeared in the media. Pakistan acknowledged that the strikes were conducted without Indian aircraft entering Pakistani airspace. The Indian government described the strikes as “focused, measured, and non-escalatory”. Precision was the primary criteria to sustain objectives and minimize collateral damage. No Pakistani military facilities or civilians were targeted. Pakistan admitted that over 31 had been killed.
In a very truthful account it was brought out that “Air strikes had hit the camps and infrastructure of terrorist groups JeM and LeT. The targets included Markaz Subhan Allah, Bahawalpur, JeM’s main centre for training and indoctrination, and operational headquarters. Markaz Taiba, Muridke, is the main training centre of LeT. It provides arms training and religious indoctrination for recruits from within and outside Pakistan. Sarjal/Tehra Kalan, Punjab, is JeM’s launching facility and is used for tunnel construction, drone operations, and smuggling of arms and narcotics. Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) centres were also hit at their Mehmoona Joya Facility, Sialkot. Markaz Ahle Hadith, Barnala, Bhimber, is one of the important Markaz of LeT in PoK. Markaz Abbas, Kotli, is a JeM facility led by Hafiz Abdul Shakoor. Maskar Raheel Shahid, Kotli, is an HM facility capable of housing 150-200 militants. This camp specializes in arms training, sniping, Border Action Teams (BAT) actions, and survival skills in hilly terrain. Shawai Nallah Camp, Muzaffarabad is a LeT camp, where the 26/11 attackers trained. And, finally, Markaz Syedna Bilal in Muzaffarabad which is JeM’s main centre in PoK.
The terrorist groups get military-grade weapons, communication equipment and training from the Pakistan Army. Pakistan tried to retaliate with drones and missiles but they were brought down by Indian military’s S-400, Akash, Pechora, L-70 and Shelka AD systems, and also by other systems with BSF. They stopped using their combat aircraft after losing an F16 and two JF -7s. This was India’s first combat use of the S-400 missile system Sudarshan Chakra”, and it proved most effective. “On May 10, in response , India undertook counter-strikes deep into Pakistan, including military targets in Islamabad, Lahore, and Rawalpindi, and three Air Force bases (Nur Khan, Rafiqi, and Murid). Targets included technical infrastructure, command and control centre, radar sites, and weapon storage areas at Murid, Chaklala (Rawalpindi), Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian in Punjab. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base, as well as strategic air bases at Skardu, Bholari, Jacobabad, and Sargodha were hit. All were targeted using precision munitions. The Battle Damage assessment (BDA) was well photographed, and pictures presented to the world during the Director General Air Operations briefing. The precision and success was more than evident.”
Notably Pakistan’s China supplied AWACS parked in a aircraft hangar at the newly raised air base at Bholari was destroyed . A retired Air Vice Marshal of Pakistan described as to how after three Brahmos Missiles had hit at the vicinity of the target and the fourth hit the hangar directly. Bholari , 145 kms from Karachi, is deep into Pakistan , was considered safe for parking aircraft of strategic value. Being able to strike accurately and precisely at 11 bases , some as far as 900 kms away with an accuracy of less than a metre , whilst travelling at 3500 KMPH is the miracle of Brahmos. All adversaries against India watch out. It has been reported that after the attacks on 10th May over Sargodha and Rawalpindi , Pakistan Army Chief General Munir was forced to approach the American Secretary of State to seek an de-escalation. Amazingly, he has been promoted to Field Maarshal. It brings us to the moot point is that Pakistan will have to pay a price for harbouring and most deviously guiding terrorists to attack targets specially hapless tourists , all visitors to the valley . Although, their defense minister in a hollow statement , has publicly admitted that Pakistan has over the years gathered a huge number of local and foreign mercenary terrorists over which seemingly they have no control. On the other hand their Inter Services Intelligence effectively and purposefully exploits these killer machines for their nefarious ends. This is well established. Also it is ironic that Pakistan has survived the scrutiny of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog. It sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society. The FATF amazingly lifted the grey area label applied to Pakistan and removed all controls.
The writer is a strategic affairs commentator. He participated in the 1971 war and was awarded a Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry. Views expressed are personal
