By BD Narayankar

Bengaluru, May 17 (UNI) Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's admission that Indian ballistic missiles struck Nur Khan Airbase — located around 11 km from Islamabad — is a significant acknowledgment of India's calibrated military response, defence and geo-strategic affairs expert Cmdr GJ Singh said on Saturday.

Citing Sharif's remarks, Cmdr Singh said the Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir had briefed Shehbaz Sharif about the Indian missile strikes damaging multiple sites, including Nur Khan and Sargodha airbases. "Such a statement could not be avoided, as the diplomatic enclave in Islamabad would have clearly heard the bombardments," he told UNI in an interview.

Cmdr Singh added that India's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) had already presented graphic evidence to the media showing damage to eleven Pakistani airfields, corroborating the strikes.

Notably, internationally recognised defence analysts Tom Cooper and John Spencer had also validated India's air operation and praised the precision with which only military infrastructure was targeted.

Dismissing Sharif’s separate claim that the Indian DGMO had pleaded for a ceasefire, Cmdr Singh termed it as "a complete fabrication".

"In fact, India had not stopped. The strikes were continuing. Alarmed by the intensity of the bombardment and realising that the situation was slipping out of their hands, it was the Pakistani DGMO who reached out first. The Indian DGMO initially could not respond, likely due to being engaged in Operation Sindoor. Once the Indian pilots returned to base after striking the targets, the second call was answered and a mutual pause in operations was agreed upon," he said.

Calling Sharif's remark that the Indian DGMO had asked for a ceasefire as politically motivated, Cmdr Singh said, "He is trying to placate his domestic constituency. Such behaviour is common among politicians, and India need not be concerned by this rhetoric."

Notably, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has revealed that Army Chief General Asim Munir personally called him at 2:30am on the intervening night of May 9 and 10 to inform him about the attack on Nuh airbase during Operation Sindoor.

Addressing a special 'Youm-e-Tashakur' event at the Pakistan Monument in Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif is heard saying, “On the intervening night of May 9-10 around 2.30 am, Army chief Asim Munir called me over a secure line, informing me that Hindustani ballistic missiles had hit Nur Khan airbase and other areas."

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