Pakistani journalist and strategic analyst Imtiaz Gul has ignited nationwide debate with a viral video alleging that the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi is effectively under American control. According to Gul, even Pakistani Army officers are reportedly restricted from accessing certain sections of the base, hinting at undisclosed operational agreements with the United States.
Located just 10 km from Islamabad, near the Pakistan Army’s General Headquarters and the Strategic Plans Division that oversees the country’s nuclear arsenal, Nur Khan Airbase is one of Pakistan’s most sensitive military sites. It houses major air transport squadrons such as the C-130 Hercules and IL-78 mid-air refuelers and functions as a command center for air mobility operations. The base also accommodates key training institutions, including PAF College Chaklala and Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan.
Gul claims that frequent U.S. aircraft activity and a lack of transparency around cargo movements have raised serious sovereignty concerns. The suggestion that Pakistan's own military lacks full control over a key airbase has stirred public unease and political scrutiny.
Not long ago, India targeted the Nur Khan Airbase during Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Satellite imagery has confirmed substantial damage to the base, including the destruction of major infrastructure.