Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, has publicly confirmed that India launched precision airstrikes on two key Pakistani airbases&mdash;Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi and Rafiqui Airbase near Shorkot&mdash;as part of Operation Sindoor, carried out on 7 May. The operation came in the wake of a terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Dar&rsquo;s disclosure, made during an interview on Geo News, marks a significant departure from earlier denials by the Pakistani government and military, which had downplayed the scale and impact of the Indian strikes. According to Dar, the Indian Air Force pre-empted Pakistan&rsquo;s planned retaliation, striking first and catching Islamabad off guard.
&ldquo;Within just 45 minutes of the strikes, Saudi Prince Faisal bin Salman called me,&rdquo; Dar revealed. &ldquo;He asked if he could convey to S. Jaishankar that Pakistan was ready to de-escalate.&rdquo; The Saudi royal reportedly sought to intervene diplomatically on Pakistan&rsquo;s behalf, underlining Riyadh&rsquo;s quiet but pivotal role in calming regional tensions. Dar also mentioned that Pakistan had reached out to the United States in a bid to prevent further escalation.
These revelations contradict previous claims by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior Pakistani officials, who had insisted that Pakistan had mounted a strong response to India&rsquo;s actions. In a recent interview, however, Sharif admitted that India had launched BrahMos missile strikes on multiple targets, including the Rawalpindi airport.
&ldquo;India again launched missile attacks&mdash;BrahMos&mdash;and struck various provinces, including the airport in Rawalpindi,&rdquo; Sharif stated, further acknowledging that a planned Pakistani counter-strike scheduled for 4:30am on 10 May had to be aborted due to a second wave of Indian attacks on the night of 9&ndash;10 May. This indicates that India not only initiated the offensive but also successfully disrupted Pakistan&rsquo;s planned retaliation.
Adding further weight to the Indian action, General Asim Munir&mdash;Pakistan&rsquo;s Army Chief at the time and now promoted to Field Marshal&mdash;accused India of attempting to create a &ldquo;new normal&rdquo;. Speaking to the Pakistani diaspora in Washington, Munir said, &ldquo;India attempted to establish a &lsquo;new normal&rsquo;&mdash;a dangerous precedent of crossing international borders at will,&rdquo; as reported by Dawn.
<h3 data-start="2619" data-end="2644">Targeted Airbases</h3>
Nur Khan Airbase, formerly known as PAF Base Chaklala, is a strategic military installation located in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, roughly 10 kilometres from the capital Islamabad. The base also includes the former Benazir Bhutto International Airport and is home to PAF College Chaklala and Fazaia Inter College Nur Khan.
The second key target, PAF Base Rafiqui&mdash;previously called Shorkot Airbase&mdash;is situated in the Jhang District, approximately 337 kilometres south of Islamabad. Named after 1965 war hero Sarfaraz Ahmed Rafiqui, the base houses a 10,000-foot runway and a parallel taxiway used for emergency aircraft landings and recoveries.
<h3 data-start="3290" data-end="3321">Operation and Aftermath</h3>
Operation Sindoor was launched by India as a retaliatory measure following the Pahalgam terror attack. From 7 May onwards, India conducted a series of drone and missile strikes on terror camps and military facilities across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Pakistan responded with attempted strikes on Indian military sites on 8, 9, and 10 May. However, India&rsquo;s subsequent counter-attacks were reportedly more forceful and effectively dismantled Pakistan&rsquo;s operational plans.
After four days of escalating tensions and cross-border engagements, both sides agreed to a ceasefire on 10 May, brokered through behind-the-scenes diplomatic channels.

Pakistan's Deputy PM Ishaq Dar (File Photo)

India hit key airbases in Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to Pahalgam attack: Dar

Pak's Dar: 'India Hit Nur Khan, Rafiqui Airbases'

India hit key airbases in Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to Pahalgam attack: Dar

June 20, 2025 | 15:00 IST