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Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Military notes — perceptual battle between India and Pakistan
The writer is a retired major general and has an interest in International Relations and Political Sociology. He can be reached at tayyarinam@ and tweets @20_Inam Listen to article In a series from this week, we shall explore the various dimensions of the May 2025 India-Pakistan stand-off after the Pahalgam carnage on April 22, 2025. First, what happened in the perceptual world? The aftermath of Pahalgam and Operation Bunyan Marsus (Iron Wall) should demonstrate 'strategic humility'. Miscalculations by Indian leaders – political and military – should never be forgiven in silence. In 'teaching Pakistan a lesson', India not only 'altered the regional equation', it also rehyphenated with Pakistan, something it loathed, after its hard-won Clinton-era de-hyphenation. And New Delhi unwittingly exposed itself to a parity with Islamabad that it vehemently denied under hubris, arrogance and over-confidence. Rabid anchors like Arnab Goswami and military analysts like the froth-fuming Maj Gen Gagandeep Bakhshi and Major Gaurav Arya steered the debate about complex realities into loud nationalism, muting the voices of reason from the few and far between. They turned national strategy into a charade of slogans without substance. India, in doing so, lost its strategic narrative. Intoxicated with its new-found economic relevance, India walked into the trap of 'buying and bullying into influence', only to lose both. It triggered the most dangerous regional escalation since Kargil without any investigation, without any shareable proof, without any satellite imagery, without any international inquiry and without remorse, just guided by 'nationalist theatrics', media jingoism and short-term political gains – all to abrogate Indus Water Treaty and humiliate Pakistan. And it failed. A 'pauper' Pakistani response sent India suing for ceasefire, after being forced out of the skies, after targeted destruction on land, and a good drubbing in Kashmir. New Delhi 'mistook Pakistan's composure for collapse'. Islamabad's response was doctrinal and not theatrical. Pakistan's 'digital kill web' proved far more dangerous than terrorism, which India blames on Islamabad. The 16-hour skirmish diminished India's role as a counterbalance to China, as a rising regional power and as a reliable partner. Instead of teaching a lesson to Pakistan, India was taught one – worth inclusion in the syllabi of all staff colleges and war courses. From the skirmish, neither Pakistan emerged as a dwarf two-foot David, nor India as a loud-talking 10-foot Goliath. India was humbled by the unkindness of the event. Karachi did not fall, Islamabad remained steadfast, and Lahore kept pulsating, with daredevil Pakistanis eulogising their soldiers who were busy firing their deadly arsenal towards India from their fields, from their neighborhoods, and praying elders overseeing salvo after salvo. It was a national Bunyan Marsus. Pakistan did not escalate; it equalised India's perceptual superiority. It emerged not as a weakened state, but an awakened country. Pakistan didn't blink, and stood its ground with dignity, restraint, precision and strategy. Modi 'perceptually' had a bigger stick that now lies broken, and his power stands exposed not only to Pakistan, but to the admirers of 'shining India' worldwide. India, in public perception, lost its 'dominance' not through outright defeat, but through overreach, despite the 'theatrical illusion of victory' that Indian media continues to showcase for psychological conquest of its citizenry. India's myth of conventional superiority, built and carefully managed for such an eventuality, lies in chaotic collapse before the public eye. Pakistan's poverty, touted repeatedly over a berserk India media, is recognised by the world as its 'cool hardiness'. Islamabad emerged as a calm, articulate player and as a disciplined nuclear power, which can demonstrate restraint, resolve and resilience. And that its dwarfed defence spending, compared to New Delhi's $85 billion defence budget, still enables and equips its armed forces with doctrine, deterrence and determination to hold its nerve under fire. Pakistan absorbed Operation Sindoor with a resolute defensive response and then responded with its own 'Bunyan Marsus', rewriting the rules of deterrence. Consequentially, Pakistan gains more confidence and relevance, which is already buttressed by its geostrategic location at the crossroads of Karakoram, the Silk Road, South and Central Asia; and it being key to regional stability for 2.8 billion South Asians. The strategic map has shifted and with it the world's perspective. Pakistan once branded as a 'failing state', today emerges as a reliable strategic balancer. This isn't just a strategic shift in the regional power dynamics, it is a psychological jolt and a rude awakening for Modi's Hindutva-laced, RSS dominated, bigoted brand. Just when detractors thought Pakistan was sliding into a second fiddle status, Modi burnished its image by becoming Pakistan's unlikely brand ambassador, through his absurd persistence and stubborn obsession to turn Pakistan into a pliant state. From being overlooked to being overanalyzed and over-examined, Islamabad is back in global conversations especially among the dithering Arab world. Second, India suffered doctrinal collapse. This brief war demonstrated India's 'doctrinal collapse', militarily as well as in the perceptual domains. Ajit Doval's sinister scheming to flush TTP, BLA and BRA with cash, incite synchronised uprising in KP and Balochistan, exploit Pakistan's many cleavages and turn Afghan borderlands and Pakistan into an inferno for Pakistan's military backfired squarely, roundly and embarrassingly. The operation, contrarily, jelled Pakistan's inner front like hell. India mistook Pakistan's doctrinal maturity as fragility. Literature, at break-neck speed, is coming out with analysts reading, re-reading and analysing the 16 hours of combat that shaped South Asia and the world's military balance. Dassault Aviation's share prices plunged, whereas Chinese defense stocks AVIC, ALD Chengdu surged. Modi's India miscalculated militarily, decided to ignore geopolitics, misread the doctrine, misjudged Pakistan's internal dynamics and resolve and overplayed its hand in trying to redefine South Asia's balance of power. A leaf from Israel's playbook did not match Chanakya Kotalia's script. India's doctrine of punitive retaliation through swift operations is broken operationally not just symbolically. By denying truth to its own people and by constantly lying to unfathomable extents during this war, India lost any remaining credibility for its media, official and unofficial. Modi's strongman image took an irreparable hit, and his tattered ego is littered with strategic miscalculation, economic overreach, doctrinal unpreparedness and moral bankruptcy, exposing India's own multiple fault lines. The dictum of the history is clear, New Delhi is not the victor in this round, Islamabad is. Bunyan Marsus was 'Pakistan's rendezvous with history' an existential moment of great peril, handled with dignity and precision. Allah be praised! Continues...
Canada Standard
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
Israeli troops fire warning shots at foreign diplomats
The IDF has accused the international delegation of straying from an approved route in the West Bank Israeli soldiers fired shots near a group of foreign diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, prompting representatives from over 20 countries and accompanying journalists to scramble for cover, according to videos from the scene. The tour, organized by the Palestinian Authority, included delegates from dozens of countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, Mexico, Egypt, and others. No injuries were reported, but video footage showed diplomats fleeing in panic as gunfire erupted around 2pm local time. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed the delegation had deviated from its pre-approved route and entered an unauthorized area, which they described as an "active combat zone." "According to an initial inquiry, the delegation deviated from the approved route and entered an area where they were not authorized to be. IDF soldiers operating in the area fired warning shots to distance them," the IDF said, expressing regret for the "inconvenience caused." The Palestinian Authority's foreign ministry described the shooting as a violation of international law, asserting that the delegation was on an official mission to assess humanitarian conditions amid growing international criticism of Israel's military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. International leaders swiftly condemned the incident. France and Italy summoned Israeli ambassadors for explanations. Ireland's deputy prime minister called the event "completely unacceptable," while Canada demanded a full investigation. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas also labeled the act of firing near diplomats "unacceptable" and called for accountability. The Egyptian foreign ministry said the incident "violates all diplomatic norms," while Türkiye's foreign ministry "strongly condemned" the firing of warning shots at its diplomats. The Israeli military launched a major operation in the West Bank in January, dubbed 'Iron Wall,' with forces taking control of Jenin and installing metal gates at the entrances to the refugee camp. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated at the time that the goal was to "eradicate terrorism" in the area, amid Israel's ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant later said that IDF troops would remain in the area indefinitely, declaring that "the Jenin refugee camp will not be what it was." (
Economic Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Saudi says making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Dubai, Saudi Arabia early Saturday said it was making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels. In a brief statement, the Foreign Ministry said that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".The Saudi statement came as tensions soared significantly, with Pakistan claiming that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones early military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases of Pakistan Air Force were later, citing security officials, state-run PTV said that Pakistan has launched a retaliatory operation "Bunyan al-Marsous", meaning "Iron Wall".Al-Jubeir travelled to New Delhi on Thursday on an unannounced visit and discussed with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar the situation that has developed since India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir early Friday, the Saudi minister visited Islamabad, where he held talks with Pakistan's top between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday, with the defence ministry saying the enemy's attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Saudi says making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations
Amid escalating tensions, Saudi Arabia is actively working to mediate between India and Pakistan. Al-Jubeir visited both nations to encourage dialogue and de-escalation following reported Indian strikes on terrorist infrastructure and alleged Pakistani retaliatory drone attacks. The focus is on resolving disputes through diplomatic channels to prevent further military confrontations. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Dubai, Saudi Arabia early Saturday said it was making efforts to de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels. In a brief statement, the Foreign Ministry said that upon the directives of the Saudi leadership, Al-Jubeir visited India and Pakistan on May 8 and 9 as part of the Kingdom's "ongoing efforts to de-escalate tensions, end current military confrontations, and promote the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels".The Saudi statement came as tensions soared significantly, with Pakistan claiming that its three airbases were targeted by Indian missiles and drones early military spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry told a hurriedly called press conference in Islamabad at around 4 am that Nur Khan (Chaklala, Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Shorkot in Jhang district) airbases of Pakistan Air Force were later, citing security officials, state-run PTV said that Pakistan has launched a retaliatory operation "Bunyan al-Marsous", meaning "Iron Wall".Al-Jubeir travelled to New Delhi on Thursday on an unannounced visit and discussed with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar the situation that has developed since India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir early Friday, the Saudi minister visited Islamabad, where he held talks with Pakistan's top between the two neighbours increased after the Indian armed forces on Wednesday conducted precision strikes targeting terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that had cross-border launched a fresh wave of drone attacks targeting 26 locations in India -- from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat -- for the second night on Friday, with the defence ministry saying the enemy's attempts to hit vital installations, including airports and air bases, were successfully thwarted.
The National
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Palestinians rush to retrieve belongings as West Bank braces for major Israeli demolitions
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza The occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm is bracing for a major round of Israeli home demolitions, 100 days after the military began assaulting the city in an unprecedented campaign that threatens several formerly densely populated refugee camps. Palestinian social media channels last week circulated notifications to residents of two refugee camps in the city, Tulkarem and Nur Shams, that buildings would be destroyed 'for military purposes'. Fifty-eight homes were listed for destruction in Tulkarm Camp and 48 at Nur Shams, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. It said the first 15 would be destroyed on Monday at Nur Shams. Residents said they were given two hours by the Israeli military to retrieve goods from homes listed for demolition on Tuesday morning. Footage on social media showed Palestinians hastily loading possessions on to trailers. Israel has used previously heavy machinery and explosives to destroy homes and streets. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced since the start of the Israeli military operation, which it calls 'Iron Wall'. The operations have added pressure on authorities in a region that has been suffering economically since Israel significantly increased restrictions following the start of the Gaza War. Tel Aviv says it is 'fighting terror'. The campaign began in the nearby city of Jenin in January and soon spread to refugee camps in neighbouring cities. Although the region has seen an increased rate of raids in recent years, 'Iron Wall' is unprecedented in its length and goals, which appear to be to permanently change the structure of the occupied West Bank's most restive refugee camps, hotbeds of Palestinian militancy. Youssef Fandaka, vice chairman of Nur Shams's Popular Service Committee, criticised Palestinian Authority proposals to house the displaced in mobile homes and tents, saying they 'take us back to the bad memories of the Nakba and threaten to create new camps and therefore a new Nakba'. The Nakba, which means 'catastrophe' in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the 1948 War. 'We fear that temporary solutions will turn into permanent ones. If the temporary alternative will last for years, we prefer to remain on the streets rather than live in these mobile homes,' Mr Fandaka told The National. Israel's military told The National the demolitions are part of its mission to implement 'changes within the camps – including paving routes and roads – to improve mobility for the soldiers and to prevent the re-establishment of terrorist activity in the area'. 'The decision to demolish these structures is based on operational necessity and was made only after considering alternative options. Given the number of buildings slated for demolition, and despite the urgency of continuing counterterrorism operations, the matter has been publicly announced four days in advance. The public is invited to contact the authorities to explore options for evacuating their belongings from the buildings.'
