In Focus
Day One: Pakistan’s Response after India’s Military Strikes
Addressing the Domestic Audience First
D Suba Chandran
On 7 May, Pakistan’s immediate response to India’s military strikes the previous night/early morning can be categorized under the following.
The pressure to respond
India’s strikes in Pakistan and PoK, following the militant attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, was a great blow to the political and military establishments in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and the Indian resolve to respond, Pakistan attempted to pre-empt any likely military action by India. There were warnings of escalation between “two nuclear countries” and “blood will flow” narrative, if India decides to go ahead with. Pakistan was trying to get the international community to intervene and not let India escalate. But India did.
India’s military strikes were both tactical and strategic. They were on five militant targets inside PoK, and three in Pakistan’s Punjab province. While the earlier military responses of India following the terror attacks 2016 and 2019 were limited to PoK, this time the attack was inside Pakistan – in Sialkot, and two places considered as the home town of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Pakistan has to be seen as responding, to address the domestic audience. Especially, the Establishment is under pressure to be seen as doing something, after all the earlier statements.
Rallying behind the Military
Responses from social and print media, and statements from the political leadership appear to be aimed at generating a internal cohesion supporting Pakistan’s Establishment. We are behind the military and believe in its ability to counter India – seems to be the narrative, as an immediate respond to India’s military strikes. Dawn referred to statements from Pakistan’s Prime Minister on this: “Pakistan has proved that it was capable of responding to any sort of aggression in a befitting manner. “India thought that Pakistan would retreat, but it forgot that we are a brave nation ready to fight till the last drop of our blood,” he added. He said it “took only a few hours” for the Pakistani military to bring the enemy to its knees. “With the grace of God, our jets created such a storm in the sky that the enemy screamed. Five war jets, which were the pride of India, are now just ash and rubble.”
Building a narrative on taking down Indian fighter aircrafts, to convince themselves that Pakistan has already responded sufficiently, Pakistan’s media, which has been accusing Indian media of war propaganda, parroted what it was fed to them by the Establishment. The narrative included Pakistan shooting down five Indian fighter jets, including Rafale.
Dawn reported the following: “Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the downing of two Indian jets around 2:45am after Pakistan launched its swift response, while the confirmation for the third plane, a Rafale aircraft, came an hour later. Confirmation of the fourth and fifth Indian jets being taken down came after 5am by Tarar and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.”
The above seems to be aiming at building a narrative convincing itself and its people, by informing that Pakistan has already responded to India’s military strikes. Dawn quotes PM Sharif: “We have given a befitting response. If they (India) do further actions, then we will give an even more befitting response.”
Accusing India of Terrorism and Warning of “Time and Place” of Pakistan’s choice
A larger presentation of India’s military strikes on Pahalgam attack in Pakistan – was to project India as a terror state. Pakistan used the casualties (according to its own data, the strikes have killed more than 30 people) to accuse India of sponsoring terrorism.
Political and military leaders, responding to the Indian military strikes put a brave face by telling that Pakistan would respond, but will reserve the choice of time and place.
Increasing the Cross-LoC Firings and Disinformation about India’s White Flags
Another propaganda, aimed at an internal audience is about India’s defeat along the LoC. Dawn quoted the Information Minister again: “Talking to the media around 7am at the information ministry, Tarar asserted that India had waved a white flag at the Line of Control and “accepted defeat”. The minister said this as footage of a white flag played in the background..”
To conclude, Pakistan’s response seems to be addressing the domestic audience by spreading misinformation and disinformation to address its failure to prevent an Indian strike. Worse for the Establishment, the latest strikes by India has taken place inside Pakistan, and in the Punjab province.
India’s airstrikes into Pakistan: Who said what?
Abhiruchi Chowdhury
PM Shehbaz Sharif
“Pakistan has decided to avenge the overnight incursion. The apex security forum authorized the armed forces to undertake corresponding actions in self-defence at a time, place and manner of its choosing. India attacked six different places in Pakistan. We solemnly swear that we will avenge each and every drop of blood of our martyrs. India has made a blatant mistake and now it will have to bear the consequences. India thought that Pakistan would retreat, but it forgot that we are a brave nation ready to fight till the last drop of our blood. It took only a few hours for the Pakistani military to bring the enemy to its knees. With the grace of God, our jets created such a storm in the sky that the enemy screamed. Five war jets, which were the pride of India, are now just ash and rubble.”
DG-ISPR
(English translation by the author of a press conference in Urdu by the DG-ISPR)
“In late night, India carried out cowardly attacks in which innocent civilians including children came under the target. Are these innocent children terrorists which India aims to target? You can expect this from India. Previously, also through its proxies, India had carried out terrorist attacks in Pakistan, the evidence of which is available in front of the entire world. Pakistan tried to tighten its noose to combat the threat of terrorism which is why India through its armed forces is now overtly attacking Pakistan. The attacks carried out by India on the night of 6 and 7 May is nothing but terrorism. And its not surprising, once you start sponsoring terrorism, it takes a click to turn as terrorist yourself. It is proved how India is involved in transnational terrorism and killings. It is out in the open, not just to us but to the entire world with evidence. It is evident how India is deliberately targeting the mosques in Pakistan. The question is which religion in the whole world permits people to attack the religious sites of other communities? Does it have any relation to humanity? Another point is, in responding to the Indian attacks, Pakistan had only chosen military targets in contrast to the coward enemies who targeted innocent civilians. An important point to note is Pakistan targeted only those military targets which explicitly were employed to attack sovereignty, soil and citizens of Pakistan. And you have noticed how Pakistan successfully downed the jets which intended to carry out attacks in Pakistan at their own time and place of choosing. Three Rafales, one SU-30, and one Mig-29 were destroyed and again only those aircraft who released their weapons and tried to run away, Pakistan engaged with them professionally. There might not be any precedent to compare the professionalism and restraint showcased by Pakistan in the air combat. Another point to note is other than air, India carried out unprovoked attacks on the Line of Control, breaching the ceasefire. Pakistan is equally responding to the India’s actions and has destroyed multiple enemy posts. The posts include India Army’s Infantry Brigade Headquarters, Chatri post, Jungle 1 post, Jura post, Sarlia 1 post, Shahpur 3, Leepa sector. This also shows you how from such large areas India has been carrying out ceasefire violations. From many check posts, India raised white flags. In the end, I want to say that the Pakistani army is proud of its fearless population. The two remain united against India’s aggression. And we want to remind that our desire for peace must not be taken as weakness. Pakistan would never make any compromise with its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Foreign Office and Foreign Minister
“Pakistan reserves the right to respond appropriately at a time and place of its choosing, in accordance with the Article-51 of the UN Charter and as enshrined in international law.”
Foreign Minister Dar: “India’s actions following the Pahalgam attack, and including last night’s airstrikes, look like a “choreographed exercise. But time will tell what the reality is. Pakistan received intel on a possible attack from India at around 10 PM yesterday. I want to clarify that Pakistan has exercised restraint event at the moment. There were instructions to only attack Indian jets that released a payload…this is why only five jets were taken down, if the direction had been otherwise, nearly 10-12 jets would have been struck down” (“India launches devious attack in dead of night; Pakistan delivers befitting reply,” Dawn, 7 May 2025; Pakistan-India escalation, Dawn, 7 May 2025”; “Pakistan vows revenge after Indian misadventure,” Dawn, 8 May 2025)
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