Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry clarified Pakistan’s position on the ceasefire and outlined the military’s strategic handling of the escalation, firmly stating that Pakistan “never requested for a ceasefire.”
“Let me put it on record: Pakistan never requested a ceasefire,” the DG ISPR said in a detailed briefing on Sunday. “On the night of May 6 and 7, after those dastardly and cowardly attacks were made, Indians requested [a ceasefire] and Pakistan gave a very clear response—that we will communicate back only after we have given the response that this act deserves,” he added.
According to Lt Gen Chaudhry, it was only after Pakistan had executed its retaliatory campaign under ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ that Islamabad responded to Indian overtures. “So on May 10, after the response and retribution […] and on the request and intervention of international interlocutors, we responded to the already made request of the Indians.”
He also addressed viral claims circulating on social media about an Indian pilot allegedly being captured by Pakistani forces. “I want to categorically state that Pakistan has no Indian pilot in custody,” he said, attributing the reports to “social media chatter” and disinformation campaigns. “This is all part of fake news and propaganda that has been generated from multiple sources.”
Highlighting the high stakes of escalation between two nuclear-armed neighbours, DG ISPR called the idea of war between India and Pakistan “inconceivable” and “sheer stupidity.”
“In a conflict between two rival nuclear powers … such a conflict is actually an absurdity,” he said, adding, “In the case of India and Pakistan, such a conflict can lead to peril of more than 1.6 billion people.”
He added, “In reality, there is no space for war between India and Pakistan, and if anyone wants to carve out this space for war, he is actually carving out the space for mutual annihilation.”
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Despite provocations, Lt Gen Chaudhry stated that Pakistan had acted with strategic maturity throughout the conflict. He said the response to Indian aggression was carefully managed to avoid uncontrolled escalation, while still delivering a “two-notch” higher reply using conventional military forces.
“This is why you saw how in this conflict Pakistan acted in a very mature manner and through conventional forces, we maintained escalation control,” he said. “Through conventional forces, we gave them a two-notch up response, while also ensuring that the Pakistan forces employed on the counterterrorism operations…no pull is also exerted on them,” he added.
DG ISPR described Pakistan’s ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ against India as a comprehensive national response to Indian aggression, stating that the armed forces had fulfilled every promise made to the nation.
“Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos has been a great example of the coming together of all elements of national power,” he said. “With the overwhelming support of the Pakistani public, we effectively countered a direct threat to our national sovereignty, integrity, and our great motherland,” he added.
Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that the Pakistan Armed Forces had made three clear commitments at the outset of the conflict: “We will give a befitting response to Indian aggression. That response will come at a time, place, and through methods of our own choosing. And when we hit back, the entire world will know—it won’t be something you’ll need the Indian media to tell you.”
He stressed that these were not just statements of intent but objectives that were fully realised. “That’s what we promised. We promised and delivered.”
He presented an overview of ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ launched in retaliation to what he called “dastardly attacks” carried out by Indian forces on the night of May 6 and 7, providing a comprehensive account of Pakistan’s military response to what he described as “unprovoked Indian aggression.”
“These attacks led to the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives, including women, children, and the elderly,” he said. “Pakistan had vowed justice and retribution for the reprehensible Indian military aggression and brutal killing of our civilians,” he added.
Highlighting the military response, the DG ISPR informed that Pakistan’s armed forces targeted 26 military installations inside India that were allegedly involved in attacks on Pakistani civilians and infrastructure.
“These included Indian Air Force and Army installations at Suratgarh, Sirsa, Adampur, Bhuj, Naliya, Bathinda, Barnala, Harwara, Avantipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Mamoon, Ambala, Udhampur, and Pathankot — all of which sustained significant damage,” he stated. He added that missile facilities used to launch BrahMos missiles into Pakistani territory were also neutralised.
Describing Pakistan’s response as a “textbook demonstration” of joint military operations, he stressed the integration of all three military branches and advanced technologies. “It was enabled by real-time situational awareness, network-centric warfare capabilities, and seamless multi-domain operations,” he said.
He further highlighted the use of a wide array of modern weaponry including precision-guided long-range Fatah missiles (F1 and F2), air-launched precision munitions, long-range loitering munitions, and advanced artillery systems.
Reinforcing Pakistan’s conduct during the operation, the military spokesperson strongly affirmed that the armed forces did not target civilian populations. “We will never target civilians,” he said. “Our religion, culture, and professionalism don’t allow us to do so.” He added, “Even from Indian statements, did you find that Pakistan attacked anything other than military targets? No.”
The DG ISPR further stated that Pakistan’s military retaliation was not only proportionate and deliberate but also designed to uphold the country’s strategic deterrence posture. “No one should have any doubt,” he warned, “that whenever our sovereignty is threatened and our territorial integrity violated, the response will be comprehensive, retributive, and decisive,” he stressed.
He revealed new aspects of the Pakistan’s military strategy during ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ against India, highlighting the country’s use of drones, cyber capabilities, and simultaneous counterterrorism operations.
The briefing underscored the increasing technological sophistication of Pakistan’s military and its preparedness to engage across multiple domains in response to evolving regional threats. “India deployed drones not just for surveillance but to intimidate civilians by spreading fear,” he said.
In response, he stated, Pakistan demonstrated its own advanced drone capabilities. “Throughout ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’, dozens of Pakistani armed drones flew over major Indian cities and high-value political and government sites, including the capital, New Delhi,” he revealed.
He said this maneuver was a deliberate show of strength. “From occupied Kashmir to Gujarat, we made it clear that Pakistan possesses lethal, long-range, unmanned capabilities, underscoring the futility of trying to dominate this domain.”
The DG ISPR further disclosed that Pakistan launched a “comprehensive and effective cyber-offensive” that temporarily disrupted and degraded critical Indian infrastructure and communication networks. These systems, he said, were actively supporting India’s military operations during the conflict.
