![](https://bharatshakti.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/LT-BSI-Defence.gif")
India has firmly rejected reports from Islamabad suggesting the ongoing pause in cross-border military hostilities has a fixed expiry, clarifying that there is no deadline for the conditional pause initiated after its precision strikes on Pakistani military infrastructure on May 10. The Indian Army on Sunday dismissed claims that the ceasefire — brokered between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) — was subject to periodic renewals, with an alleged expiration on May 18. “There is no expiry date. The pause remains contingent on Pakistan’s conduct,” a senior Army official stated.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underscored the government’s position, declaring Pakistan remains “on probation.” “Our actions were just a trailer. If needed, we will show the full picture,” he warned during a visit to Bhuj air base on Friday. “Eliminating terrorism is the new normal of New India.”
No further DGMO-level talks are currently scheduled, the Army added, in a brief statement on Sunday.
Operation Sindoor: Shockwaves Across the Border
The temporary cessation of hostilities followed Operation Sindoor, a high-intensity retaliatory air campaign launched in response to the Pahalgam massacre. On the night of May 9–10, Indian Air Force jets struck deep into Pakistani territory, targeting a network of air bases and terror camps in a sweeping, multi-phase operation.
In a rare and politically fraught admission, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif acknowledged the scale of the damage. “At 2:30 a.m., I received a call from General Asim Munir. He informed me that multiple airbases had been hit by Indian ballistic missiles,” Sharif revealed in a televised address, calling the night one of the darkest in Pakistan’s recent history.
According to Indian military sources and corroborated satellite imagery, 11 Pakistani air bases were either destroyed or rendered inoperable. High-value targets included:
Noor Khan Airbase (strategic VIP hub), Shahbaz Airbase, Jacobabad and Bholari Airbase, home to the Erieye AWACS fleet. Intelligence confirms the destruction of command-and-control centres, radar facilities, hangars, and an Erieye surveillance aircraft at Bholari — a severe blow to Pakistan’s early warning capabilities.
Heavy Losses for Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistani Air Force reportedly suffered multiple high-value losses during the strikes:
- 2 JF-17 fighters (one in air combat, one on the ground)
- 1 Mirage (believed shot down during sortie)
- 1 Erieye AWACS
- 1 C-130 transport aircraft
Footage circulated on social media shows the C-130 engulfed in flames, while at least five air personnel — including Squadron Leader Usman Yusuf — were confirmed dead.
Crippling the Terror Infrastructure
India’s response wasn’t limited to military targets. Phase II of Operation Sindoor focused on Pakistan’s long-tolerated terror infrastructure. 21 terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir were hit. Over 100 terrorists were killed, including senior operatives of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Notable targets included Sawai Nala, Balakot, Muridke and Kotli. These sites, long seen as the backbone of anti-India proxy operations, were razed in what is now being described as India’s most comprehensive counter-terror operation across the Line of Control.
Elimination of Top LeT Commander in Pakistan
In a further jolt to Pakistan’s intelligence apparatus, Saifullah Khalid—a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander also known as Abu Saifullah—was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Sindh’s Matli Falkara Chowk. Khalid had masterminded several attacks, including: 2001 Rampur CRPF camp attack, 2005 IISc Bengaluru shooting and 2006 RSS HQ attack plot.
After years of covert operations under the alias “Vinod Kumar” in Nepal, Khalid had returned to Pakistan and resumed activities for Lashkar and Jamaat-ud-Dawa. His targeted killing, believed to be part of India’s evolving “invisible hand” doctrine, has left Pakistani intelligence scrambling.
Pakistan’s Narrative Unravels
Despite early attempts to downplay the strikes, the scope of the damage has forced a shift in Islamabad’s position. What was initially denied now stands grudgingly admitted — a testimony to the scale of India’s response.
With a weakened air force, shattered radar grid, and decimated terror networks, Pakistan is confronting a strategic reality it had long sought to avoid: a New Delhi willing to rewrite the rules of engagement.
Team BharatShakti
