‘Told to move to bunkers during Op Sinoor’: Pak president Zardari admits
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has said he was advised by his Military Secretary to move to bunkers after being told that war had begun during India's Operation Sindoor. He claimed he refused to take shelter despite the warning, even as India carried out precision strikes on Pakistani military and terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack.
New Delhi: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has publicly acknowledged the intensity of India’s precision strikes during Operation Sindoor, revealing that he was advised by his military aide to take shelter in a bunker for his safety during the four-day operation. The admission comes even as Islamabad has sought to downplay the impact of the Indian military action launched after the Pahalgam terror attack.
'Refused bunker advice'
Speaking at an event on Saturday, Zardari said his Military Secretary urgently warned him that hostilities had begun and suggested moving him to a bunker. The Pakistani President, however, claimed he refused the advice. Recounting the episode, Zardari said he had anticipated the conflict days earlier but chose not to seek shelter, asserting that leaders should face danger rather than hide from it. His remarks have drawn attention in Pakistan and the region, particularly given the government’s earlier attempts to minimise the scale and effectiveness of India’s strikes.
Op Sindoor
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, carrying out targeted precision strikes on Pakistani military installations and terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). The operation continued until May 10, when both sides announced a ceasefire. Indian authorities have stated that the strikes were carefully calibrated to hit terror camps and key military assets while avoiding civilian targets.
During the operation, Indian forces also repelled retaliatory Pakistani actions, including drone and aerial attacks. Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar later acknowledged that Indian strikes had caused damage to military infrastructure. At a year-end press briefing, Dar confirmed that India had targeted the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi, resulting in damage to facilities and injuries to personnel.
Claims vs counterclaims
Dar claimed that Pakistan intercepted most of the drones launched by India, but conceded that at least one drone strike caused damage at a military installation. Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force has maintained that the operation significantly degraded Pakistan’s aerial capabilities. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said that multiple Pakistani aircraft, including fighter jets and an airborne early warning and control system, were downed during the strikes.
Zardari’s remarks, coupled with official Pakistani acknowledgements, have reinforced India’s assertion that Operation Sindoor delivered a strong and precise military message in response to cross-border terrorism.