Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a sharp warning for India on Thursday — insisting that his country would counter any attack with a “swift, calibrated, and decisive” response. The remarks came soon after his Indian counterpart warned Islamabad against any “misadventure” ahead of the one year anniversary for Operation Sindoor.
“Repeated rhetoric reflects not strength, but visible strategic anxiety as the anniversary of the Pahalgam” attack approaches. Such threat-mongering is not new; it is part of a predictable pattern – externalising internal fragility, and attempting to provoke escalation under the garb of unsubstantiated allegations for vested political interests,” Asif said.
The devastating Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22 last year. It left 26 people (mostly tourists) dead and several others injured. The Indian military had responded by launching barrage of coordinated strikes soon after midnight on May 7 — targeting multiple terror camps within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The swift 25-minute operation decimated Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizb-ul Mujahideen strongholds in nine locations.
Rajnath Singh vows ‘unprecedented and decisive’ action
The remarks came soon after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned that any ‘misadventure’ from Pakistan would invite an “unprecedented and decisive” action.
“I would like to tell you the operation is not over yet. If such dirty actions are repeated by Pakistan, our armed forces will give a befitting reply which they would not forget ever. What will happen this time will be an unprecedented action…Our neighbour (Pakistan) can do any misadventure. If it does so, then like I told you, India’s action would be unprecedented and decisive,” he asserted while speaking at a Sainik Samman Sammelan in poll-bound Kerala.
Singh noted that India had destroyed the terrorist hideouts and infrastructure in the couneighbouring country following the Pahalgam terror attack. He also reiterated that New Delhi had zero tolerance towards terrorism and would not hesitate to take action against it on both sides of the border.
‘India was minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea’
Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi offered fresh insight into the strikes during an event on Thursday — revealing that India had bee mere minutes away from striking Pakistan from the sea during Operation Sindoor, when the neighbouring country requested a halt to kinetic actions.
“Operation Sindoor demonstrated exemplary readiness and resolve of the Indian Navy, as our units undertook swift deployment and maintained a highly aggressive posture throughout the period. It is not a hidden fact anymore that we were just minutes away from striking Pakistan from sea, when they requested the stoppage of kinetic actions. Through swift and resolute actions during the Op Sindoor, the Indian Navy reinforced the nation’s confidence and trust in its capabilities,” he said during the Naval Investiture Ceremony.