In a shocking and unprecedented public acknowledgment, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Indian ballistic missiles hit Nur Khan Airbase and several other targets in the pre-dawn hours of May 10. This unprecedented statement by a Pakistani head of government adds credibility to India’s assertions of having successfully conducted Operation Sindoor, a synchronized retaliatory campaign unleashed in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
Midnight Call of PM Shehbaz Sharif
In a public speech in Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif elaborated on being given a secure call by Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir at 2:30 AM. “In the intervening night of May 9-10, at 2:30 AM, General Asif Munir phoned me on a secure line and informed me that India had fired its ballistic missiles. He mentioned that one has struck the Nur Khan airbase and others in other locations,” he mentioned.
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif himself admits that General Asim Munir called him at 2:30am to inform him that India had bombed Nur Khan Air Base and several other locations. Let that sink in — the Prime Minister was woken up in the middle of the night with news of strikes deep inside… pic.twitter.com/b4QbsF7xJh
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) May 16, 2025
The Indian Air Force previously struck the Nur Khan Airbase—an important strategic installation between Rawalpindi and Islamabad—during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.
BJP’s Reaction on Shehbaz Sharif
Responding to Sharif’s revelation, BJP leader Amit Malviya posted on X, “Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif himself admits that General Asim Munir called him at 2:30 am to tell him India had bombed Nur Khan Air Base and several other targets. Let that sink in – the Prime Minister was awakened in the dead of the night with news of attacks deep within Pakistan. This says volumes about # the extent, precision, and audacity of #OperationSindoor.”
Operation Sindoor, initiated on 7th May, was India’s immediate reaction against the Pahalgam attack that resulted in the death of 26 Indian nationals. The operation focused on decimating terrorist networks and strategic military centers within Pakistan and PoK.
Scope of Indian Strikes
Government reports disclosed that the Indian military, the Air Force, the Army, and Navy, launched coordinated attacks in at least 11 strategic targets. These were air bases, radar facilities, and communications centers at Chaklala (Nur Khan), Sargodha, Jacobabad, Bholari, and Skardu.
India’s intelligence networks also picked up high-alert communications within Pakistan’s military system, signaling panic and increased anxiety about nuclear installation security. The authorities put the Strategic Plans Division at Rawalpindi on maximum alert.
Escalation and Ceasefire
After Indian strikes, Pakistan responded with artillery shelling and drone attacks across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat. India responded by targeting and destroying several Pakistani radar facilities.
Fearing things would get out of hand, Pakistan reportedly reached out to the United States. Later on May 10 at 15:35 IST, Pakistan’s DGMO Major General Kashif Abdullah made a hotline call to India’s DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later confirmed the conversation.
India and Pakistan subsequently agreed to suspend all military operations on land, sea, and air by the evening of May 10. Yet, Indian radars continued to spot several Pakistani drones breaching the ceasefire later.
India Holds Its Ground
In response, India replied quickly. Subsequently, Foreign Secretary Misri denounced the Pakistani drone violations and firmly reiterated India’s readiness for any further provocation. He also reiterated the ongoing suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, highlighting India’s strong position post-Pahalgam.
In the wider geopolitical drama, Prime Minister Sharif’s blunt acknowledgement is a turning point of great importance. It highlights India’s increased military assertiveness as well as Pakistan’s domestic weakness. For once, the fog of war has cleared, disclosing an instant of unusual clarity in the subcontinent’s shadow war.