In a rare public admission, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed that it was Pakistan which requested a ceasefire following Indian missile strikes on two of its key air bases. Speaking candidly during a television interview, Ishaq Dar disclosed that India targeted the Nur Khan and Shorkot air bases as part of Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory mission launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Direct strikes trigger diplomatic intervention
Ishaq Dar revealed that the missile attacks occurred at 2:30 AM and directly hit the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi and Shorkot in Punjab province. The strikes reportedly prompted an immediate flurry of diplomatic activity. Within 45 minutes of the incident, Dar said he received a call from Saudi Prince Faisal who had learned of a prior conversation Dar had with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The Saudi official asked for authorization to speak with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, to which Dar agreed. Shortly afterward, the Saudi prince informed him that the message had been conveyed to India, signaling Islamabad’s willingness for de-escalation.
This is the first time a senior Pakistani official has openly admitted that Islamabad initiated the ceasefire following a direct military confrontation. Ishaq Dar’s remarks have gone viral on social media and are being interpreted as a significant diplomatic and strategic moment in the regional standoff.
Operation Sindoor: India’s strategic response to terror
India launched Operation Sindoor roughly two weeks after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives. The operation involved a series of coordinated drone and missile strikes targeting terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
As part of the operation, India hit key strategic assets, including the Nur Khan and Shorkot air bases. These strikes were intended to send a strong message following the Pahalgam attack, and also aimed to dismantle the terror infrastructure believed to be supported by Islamabad.
Pakistan’s military later acknowledged that one of its aircraft sustained minor damage during the confrontation, though no further technical details were provided. However, India’s Director General of Air Operations, Air Marshal AK Bharti, confirmed that Indian forces shot down multiple advanced fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force. Bharti did note that India also suffered some combat losses, but stated that all pilots had returned safely.
After four days of intense military exchanges, both nations agreed to a ceasefire on May 10. The diplomatic effort involved several regional and international players who pushed for de-escalation. The acknowledgment from Pakistan’s deputy prime minister adds an important layer of transparency to the events surrounding the conflict and the subsequent ceasefire agreement.
