During the 2025 India–Pakistan conflict, senior Pakistani politician and advisor to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rana Sanaullah, publicly acknowledged the grave nuclear risks posed when India launched a BrahMos cruise missile at the Nur Khan airbase near Rawalpindi as part of Operation Sindoor.
According to Sanaullah, Pakistan’s military had just 30 to 45 seconds to assess whether the incoming missile carried a nuclear payload—a perilously short window in which any misjudgment could have triggered a catastrophic nuclear exchange. He described the situation as “dangerous,” highlighting the immense pressure and uncertainty both sides faced in a rapidly escalating environment.
India initiated Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025, in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. The operation involved precision strikes on terror infrastructure linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, as well as Pakistani military targets.
Key Pakistani airbases—including Nur Khan, Sargodha, Bholari, Jacobabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan—were struck using advanced indigenous weaponry such as BrahMos cruise missiles and Rafale fighter jets armed with SCALP and HAMMER munitions. Satellite imagery later confirmed extensive damage to runways, aircraft shelters, and support infrastructure.
India framed the operation as a calibrated show of force, showcasing its capability for deep-strike precision using domestically developed and acquired high-tech arms.
In response, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, targeting Indian military installations in cross-border drone and missile attacks. Despite the intensity of the conflict, both sides refrained from targeting civilian population centers with strategic weapons, although the threat of escalation remained high throughout the standoff.
A ceasefire was achieved four days later through direct military hotline communications, with behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts led by the United States. The conflict, though brief, served as a sobering reminder of the fragile nuclear balance in South Asia and the razor-thin margins for error in moments of crisis.
The episode reinforced calls for improved crisis management protocols, real-time communication channels, and mutual confidence-building measures to prevent future incidents from spiraling out of control.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)