Qamar Bashir
In a bold, assertive, and unambiguous press briefing, Major General Choudhary Sharif, Director General of ISPR, addressed the nation and the world with a clarity that left no room for ambiguity. He declared with complete confidence that the Pakistan Air Force had downed five Indian aircraft. These aircraft, in defiance of Pakistani airspace, were tracked, targeted, and neutralized — despite India’s so-called advanced air defense systems. His assertion has now been validated by independent international observers and defense analysts, dismantling India’s narrative of aerial supremacy.
General Sharif assured the public and the international community that Pakistan’s surveillance, detection, and defensive capabilities are fully active. Every hostile object — missile, drone, or aircraft — that enters or nears Pakistani territory is being detected, evaluated, and decisively countered. He emphasized that India had chosen the timing of its aggression; now it is Pakistan’s turn to respond — at a time of its choosing, with weapons of its choice, and on targets that will reverberate not just within India, but across the world.
Refuting Indian media propaganda, General Sharif categorically denied that Pakistan had launched any strikes into Sikh-majority regions or East Punjab. “We don’t need Indian media to announce our operations,” he said sharply. “When Pakistan strikes, the world will know. It will not be through propaganda — it will be through precision, impact, and undeniable facts on the ground.”
These words — clear, confident, and chilling for the Indian establishment — signify more than just a rhetorical counterpunch. They reflect a dangerous escalation, a warning wrapped in surgical calm, and a signal to global powers that Pakistan is neither weak nor reckless, but prepared and determined.
India, intoxicated by its perceived aerial, land, and economic might, seems to have lost the capacity for rational cost-benefit analysis. Its decision to attack Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam incident — an incident not proven to involve Pakistan in any way — was nothing short of reckless. The entire operation backfired dramatically. Not only did Kashmiris on the ground refuse to accept the Indian narrative blaming Pakistan, but even sections of the Indian public, civil society, and media demanded an internal inquiry into the massive security lapse.
How, they asked, could such an attack take place in what is considered one of the most heavily militarized zones on Earth? Who was asleep at the helm? Instead of offering answers, the Indian government launched missiles at Pakistani territory.
In return, India has so far lost approximately $1.5 billion worth of military assets — including five fighter jets, among them three of its prized French-built Rafales. These aircraft, considered the pride of the Indian Air Force, were destroyed by Pakistan’s integrated air defense systems and electronic warfare units, which not only intercepted their communications but reportedly disrupted regional mobile networks to blind and isolate them mid-flight.
On the other hand, Pakistan has reported no losses. Zero.
General Sharif’s message left no doubt: Pakistan’s response will be measured, proportional, and devastating. It will not be impulsive or reactionary; it will be strategic. Pakistan now holds the initiative and will strike at the time, place, and with the force it chooses.
India, meanwhile, waits in dread. It has transitioned from aggression to anxiety, from roaring threats to trembling anticipation. The very public that cheered the initial missile attacks on Pakistan is now worried, speculating where and how Pakistan might retaliate. Indian leadership, once chest-thumping and confident, is reportedly in panic mode.
And rightly so.
Pakistan has proven that it can shoot down India’s most sophisticated aircraft, blind its pilots, and disrupt its military infrastructure without crossing borders or engaging in full-scale war. It has, in effect, neutralized India’s military advantage through superior strategy, better training, and tested deterrence doctrines.
India’s self-image as the “regional policeman,” backed by the United States and Western allies as a counterweight to China, has distorted its judgment. It believed that grandstanding, hollow threats, and missile posturing would intimidate Pakistan. But it failed to account for Pakistan’s military maturity, its battle-hardened forces, and its commitment to defend its sovereignty at all costs.
India’s loss is not just military. Its global standing has taken a hit. Its security narrative has collapsed. Its so-called Rafale deterrent has turned into a liability. And its propaganda, amplified by a complicit media ecosystem, has been discredited.
Now, India stands exposed — not just to Pakistan, but to the world.
The ball is now in Pakistan’s court. And Pakistan will act. But the larger question remains: what comes after?
Pakistan must and will neutralize the damage inflicted upon it — militarily, diplomatically, and psychologically. It is within its sovereign right to respond, and it will do so with credibility and clarity. However, once the score is settled, India must demonstrate restraint, recalibrate its posture, and abandon its fantasies of unipolar regional domination.
New Delhi must initiate an independent inquiry — perhaps under international supervision — into the Pahalgam attack. It must apologize and offer compensation for the civilian casualties and infrastructure damage caused by its unprovoked missile strikes on Pakistan. Failing that, it will continue to lose credibility and stature, not only in the eyes of Pakistanis but globally.
The United Nations, the OIC, and all peace-loving nations must now step in. It is not enough to call for restraint after the damage is done. They must hold India accountable for its unilateral aggression. They must recognize Pakistan’s right to self-defense. And they must ensure that mechanisms are put in place to prevent such reckless military adventurism in the future.
Pakistan’s message is simple: Don’t mistake composure for weakness. Don’t confuse diplomacy with docility. And never underestimate a nation that has fought for its survival since birth.
The final message to India is this: never take your adversary for granted. Arrogance may lift your chest for a day, but reality will hit like a missile. Today, India has a bloody nose. Tomorrow, if it does not change course, it may lose much more.
Pakistan has shown restraint. But it has also shown resolve. And now, the countdown has begun — not for war, but for a correction in the regional balance, forced upon India by its own folly.
Qamar Bashir
Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister at Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC
Macomb, Detroit, Michigan, USA
