In a high-level news conference held in Rawalpindi, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry announced that Pakistan achieved a “complete defeat” of a several times larger enemy through multi-domain operations during Marka-e-Haq. The briefing was conducted alongside Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Operations Rear Admiral Shifaat Ali and Deputy Chief of Air Staff Projects Air Vice Marshal Tariq Ghazi.
Lieutenant General Chaudhry stated that the armed forces successfully met national expectations, outlining ten strategic outcomes resulting from Marka-e-Haq. Central to these outcomes was the assertion that the narrative painting Pakistan as a source of terrorism has been “buried forever,” with the DG ISPR emphasizing that the international community now recognizes Pakistan as a victim of state-sponsored terrorism from India.
Strategic Outcomes and Regional Stability
The DG ISPR detailed several geopolitical shifts resulting from the operations, including the consolidation of Pakistan as a “net security stabilizer” and the “biggest ambassador of stability” in the region. He further claimed that the conflict exposed the “politicization of Indian military leadership and militarization of Indian political leadership,” while highlighting global recognition of India’s use of terrorism as a state tool to externalize internal problems.
Regarding the dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant General Chaudhry reaffirmed that It’s an internationally recognized dispute on the UN Security Council agenda, rather than an internal Indian matter. Other strategic outcomes mentioned included:
- The exposure of “discredited information operations” by the Indian media.
- A transformation in the character of warfare, incorporating synergy, proxies, information, and non-combat operations across air, sea, land, and cyber domains.
- The reestablishment of deterrence, reaffirming that there is “no space for war” between two nuclear neighbors.
- The recognition of Pakistan as a “geopolitically significant and responsible middle power” on the global stage.
- The “Bunyan-um-Marsoos effect,” described as an unshakeable synergy between the government, the people, and the armed forces.
Military Losses and Operational Successes
The briefing provided specific details on the degradation of enemy capabilities. Air Vice Marshal Tariq Ghazi reported that eight Indian fighter jets were shot down, including four Rafael, one Sukhoi Su-30, one Mirage 2000, one Mig-29, and one multirole unmanned system. He added that several other aircraft were severely damaged and remain irrecoverable.
The Air Force also successfully targeted 16 Indian airbases, two S-400 batteries, Brahmos storage sites, and critical command and control centers, including one located at Barnala. Complementing these efforts, Rear Admiral Shifaat Ali stated that continuous naval surveillance protected Pakistan’s maritime economic interests. He noted that while the Pakistan Air Force and Navy were prepared to strike the Indian ship Vikrant, the vessel did not leave its “safe haven.”
Counter-Terrorism and Domestic Politics
Addressing internal security, Lieutenant General Chaudhry alleged that terrorism within Pakistan is carried out by India using Afghanistan as a base of operations, noting a surge in terrorist incidents following Marka-e-Haq. He confirmed that operation Ghazab lil-Haq, part of the national response against terrorism, is continuing despite a “temporary pause.” The DG ISPR stated that Pakistan’s demand of the Afghan Taliban regime is to stop sheltering “Khawarij terrorists” on their soil.
On the subject of domestic governance, the DG ISPR clarified that the armed forces are not stakeholders in Pakistan’s politics and do not represent any specific linguistic, political, or sectarian thought. He maintained that dialogue among political parties remains the “sole prerogative” of those parties.
Analysis and Future Outlook
The assertions made by the military leadership suggest a shift toward a multi-domain defense posture. The “temporary pause” in operation Ghazab lil-Haq indicates that further counter-terrorism actions could resume depending on whether the Afghan Taliban regime meets Pakistan’s demands regarding the shelter of terrorists.
the emphasis on the “Bunyan-um-Marsoos effect” and the reestablishment of nuclear deterrence may be intended to signal a heightened state of readiness. Given the claims of successful strikes on critical infrastructure and S-400 batteries, future regional interactions may be influenced by this reported shift in the balance of military capabilities.
