In a dramatic and unprecedented admission, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has revealed that Islamabad was compelled to request a ceasefire from New Delhi after the Indian Armed Forces launched missile strikes on two critical Pakistani air bases during Operation Sindoor. The Indian military operation, conducted in the early hours of May 8, was a swift and targeted retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists in Jammu & Kashmir.
During an appearance on a national television programme, Dar confirmed that the Indian strikes had directly hit Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi and Shorkot Air Base—also known as PAF Base Rafiqui—in Punjab province. Both installations are vital components of Pakistan’s military aviation framework, playing a key role in strategic operations and air defense.
“Unfortunately, India once again launched missile strikes at 2.30 am. They attacked the Nur Khan Air Base and Shorkot Air Base,” Dar stated in the interview. He disclosed that within just 45 minutes of the strike, he received a call from Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who had been in contact with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Prince Faisal requested permission to forward a message to India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, conveying Pakistan’s willingness to cease hostilities if India reciprocated. Dar confirmed that this message was transmitted without delay.
The Indian government has described Operation Sindoor as a precision military campaign targeting nine terrorist infrastructure hubs located across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Carried out with advanced missile technology, the strikes were positioned as a measured but firm response to continued cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil. According to Indian officials, these targets included operational camps, logistics points, and training facilities linked to terror outfits involved in the April 22 massacre.
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In the wake of the Indian offensive, both the United States and Saudi Arabia took on critical roles as behind-the-scenes mediators to de-escalate the rapidly intensifying situation. While publicly maintaining a neutral stance, US officials reportedly conveyed a strong private message to Islamabad, urging the immediate use of its military hotline with India to open channels of communication. According to Indian government sources, the US made it clear that any delay in de-escalation would not be tolerated and could result in further regional instability.
By the afternoon of May 10, direct military-level communication was established. At 3:35 pm IST, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Major General Kashif Abdullah, contacted his Indian counterpart, Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai. This outreach was later confirmed by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a media briefing. Both sides agreed to halt all military activities—whether on land, by sea, or in the air—effective 5 pm IST the same day. However, Indian intelligence reports indicated that Pakistan breached the ceasefire agreement within just a few hours.
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The missile strikes had a substantial strategic impact. Among the most heavily damaged installations was the Nur Khan Air Base, a highly sensitive facility situated between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Known for hosting high-level Air Force assets and VIP transport units, the base is considered one of Pakistan’s most protected military locations. Shortly after the strikes, videos began circulating on social media showing large-scale explosions and fires engulfing parts of the airbase. These visuals were subsequently corroborated by high-resolution satellite imagery, confirming the extent of the damage inflicted during Operation Sindoor.
The developments mark a significant escalation in the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, in which regional instability is increasingly affecting neighboring states. While India has maintained its focus on counterterrorism measures, its decisive action under Operation Sindoor has sent a clear signal regarding its threshold for tolerating cross-border attacks.
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