Pakistan Prez Zardari Recalls Tense Moments, 'Bunker' Advice During India's Op Sindoor: 'If Martyrdom Is To Come...'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) While recalling tense moments, Pakistan President Asif Zardari revealed that his Military Secretary had advised him to move into bunkers for his safety during Operation Sindoor when conflict between India and Pakistan took place after Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.

Despite warnings from his military secretary, Zardari limited his response to rhetoric, stating that he had declined to take shelter in a bunker.

"My MS (Military Secretary) was there. He came to me and said, 'Sir, the war has started.' I had actually told him four days earlier that a war was going to happen. But he came to me and said, 'Sir, let's go to the bunkers.' I said, 'If martyrdom is to come, it will come here. Leaders don't die in bunkers. They die on the battlefield. They don't die sitting in bunkers'," ANI quoted Zardari as saying.

Operation Sindoor

The Indian Armed Forces carried out Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

India's armed forces conducted precision strikes on Pakistani military installations, following operations that targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

In the aftermath of the operation, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, leading to intensified cross-border shelling by Pakistan and countermeasures by Indian forces.

In a significant development, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reached out to his Indian counterpart to propose a ceasefire, which New Delhi accepted. The outreach from the Pakistani side was later confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who stated that both countries agreed to suspend all military actions across land, sea and air.

Also Read | Operation Sindoor fallout: Pakistan admits damages to military installations Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon calls Pakistan's Foreign Minister 'compulsive liar'

Meanwhile, KJS Dhillon, author of Operation Sindoor: The Untold Story of India's Deep Strikes Inside Pakistan, slammed Pakistan's Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar after Dar confirmed that India had damaged a military installation and caused injuries at Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi's Chakala.

Dar reportedly embarrassed himself by acknowledging the effects of India's strikes during Operation Sindoor.

In an interview with ANI, Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon called Dar a“compulsive liar”, while noting that at the end of the day, he acknowledged the truth. He also condemned the Pakistani minister for minimising India's strikes, asserting that only one of 80 Indian drones had struck their air base.

Lt Gen Dhillon said,“Ishaq Dar is a compulsive liar. But at the end of the day, he also tells the truth. When they say that 80 drones were fired by India, and they could hit 7, and only one hit Nur Khan, causing some minor damage and some minor injuries. Their own Samaa TV website on August 14, 2025, on their Independence Day, published the names of 138 awardees for gallantry award who were killed in Operation Sindoor by Indian actions, and they were awarded posthumously.”

Also Read | Today's India doesn't compromise on security: Modi on Op Sindoor in Mann Ki Baat

“If 138 were awarded posthumously, that means at least 400 to 500 people had died during Operation Sindoor because of military action,” he added.

Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon criticised Ishaq Dar's remarks, saying that downplaying the damage as“minor injuries” was misleading. He noted that Nur Khan Air Base had caught fire and that Pakistani civilians had shared videos of the destruction. According to Dhillon, all eleven Pakistani air bases were severely damaged, and despite images and videos documenting the strikes, Pakistani authorities continued to deny the extent of the damage.

During a year-end press briefing on Saturday, Ishaq Dar stated that India had deployed multiple drones over Pakistani territory within 36 hours, with one drone hitting a military installation, underscoring the scale and precision of the operation.

"They (India) send drones towards Pakistan. In 36 hours, at least 80 drones were sent... We were able to intercept 79 drones out of 80, and only one drone damaged a military installation and personnel were also injured in the attack," the Foreign Minister alleged.

Key Takeaways

• Asif Zardari revealed that his Military Secretary had advised him to move into bunkers for his safety during Operation Sindoor.
• Despite warnings from his military secretary, Zardari limited his response to rhetoric, stating that he had declined to take shelter in a bunker.

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