KBC 17: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi shares inspiring stories and insights from Operation Sindoor; says, 'A weapon or a fighter aircraft doesn't distinguish between males and females'
Operation Sindoor
, India's mission launched after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, during a special episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati on Friday.
Wing Commander Singh described the precision strikes that crippled terrorist infrastructure, saying, 'We attacked in the interiors of the enemy to break their backs. Twenty-one terror camps were recognised. Nine camps were finalised, and the game was done in 25 minutes.' Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted nine terrorist infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, eliminating several terrorists.
Colonel Qureshi explained the choice of targets: 'Bahawalpur was the headquarters of the
Jaish-e-Mohammed
, from where terrorists who attacked Pathankot and Pahalgam were trained. Muridke had the headquarters of the
Lashkar-e-Taiba
, where Ajmal Kasab and David Headley were trained. Therefore, we had to destroy those places.'
She added that Pakistan had sent 300–400 drones, both armed and unarmed: 'They sent unarmed drones to scan India's weapon and defence capability around the Line of Control and the international border.
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But the army air defence successfully disabled their attempts.'
C
ommander Deosthalee outlined the navy's role in the operation: 'The navy was battle-ready. We managed the trade routes to stabilise the economy and also ensured deterrence, as a dual job. We also protected the maritime borders, as there were anti-national elements that entered in the past. Being part of this mission is a matter of pride and honour.'
Describing naval warfare as '360 degrees of uncertainty with no room for error in the middle of the endless sea without borders,' she added: 'When we strike, we strike in a manner that the enemy would remember forever.'
The officers also credited local residents for their role in rescue efforts following the Pahalgam attack. Highlighting women's contributions, Colonel Qureshi noted that over 100 women had been trained on par with men: 'This enabled them to handle the operations seamlessly.'
Wing Commander Singh added: 'A weapon or a fighter aircraft doesn't distinguish between males and females.'
Colonel Qureshi emphasised the armed forces' readiness and said: 'You have to trust the Indian armed forces; whenever there will be any attack on the country, we have given a stern message to Pakistan and we will keep on doing it in the future.' She further said that Operation Sindoor reflected a whole-of-nation approach involving both the government and the armed forces: 'We are a peace-loving nation and want to live in synergy with our neighbours.
Our next-gen tech weapons are so advanced now that we made the operation possible without any civilian fatalities.'
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