Pakistan has publicly acknowledged, for the first time, that Indian precision strikes caused damage to a major military installation during the escalation that followed the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 civilians dead.
The admission came from Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a year-end press briefing on Saturday, where he confirmed that India had targeted the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi’s Chaklala area in May, resulting in damage to the facility and injuries to personnel stationed there.
Dar revealed that India carried out an extensive drone operation over Pakistani territory over a 36-hour period. According to his statement, dozens of drones crossed into Pakistan, testing its air defence systems and targeting military infrastructure.
“Within 36 hours, at least 80 drones were sent towards Pakistan,” Dar said, claiming that Pakistani forces intercepted 79 of them. He acknowledged, however, that one drone successfully struck a military installation, injuring personnel and damaging infrastructure at the Nur Khan Air Base.
The Pakistani foreign minister also outlined the internal response following the escalation, stating that a late-night meeting was convened on May 9 involving both civilian and military leadership.
In a significant departure from Pakistan’s earlier stance, Dar admitted that Indian forces carried out strikes on the Nur Khan Air Base in the early hours of May 10, conceding that the attack caused damage.
India’s actions were part of Operation Sindoor, a coordinated military response launched in the early hours of May 7, days after the Pahalgam terror attack. Under the operation, Indian armed forces targeted nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), signalling a shift toward precise and limited retaliation.
The Nur Khan Air Base, one of Pakistan Air Force’s most critical installations, reportedly sustained significant damage during the operation, underscoring the reach and accuracy of India’s strikes.
