On the 7th of May, Indian fighter jets targeted the cities of Bahawalpur and Sheikhupura with long-range cruise missiles in an unprovoked attack on Pakistan. As the two cities reverberated with the thunderous blasts, the news of the missile attack and resulting civilian casualties spread like wildfire—but hardly anyone knew that at that very time, an extremely complex and advanced ‘dog fight’ was going on between PAF and Indian Air Force fighter jets; the most sophisticated the world had ever witnessed.
The hypersonic fifth-generation fighter jets’ combat was something out of a sci-fi thriller, as seventy-two IAF fighter jets, including fourteen Dassault Rafale with long-range ballistic missiles loaded on them, scrambled towards Pakistan’s entire eastern border around midnight. The alert and ready Pakistan Air Force responded with forty-two of their high-tech fighter jets. As the Indian jets released their payload, PAF fighter jets, flying along the sophisticated Saab 2000 Erieye, equipped with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) radar system, outmanoeuvred the Indian jets completely. Within minutes, PAF locked their targets, fired the missiles and shot down six Indian jets including three Rafale, a Su-30, and a MIG-29. The incredible feat was done beyond visual range, from distances of more than 150 kilometres. PAF IT experts successfully jammed the entire communication and satellite-guided radar systems of the Indian jets using electronic warfare systems, rendering them inoperable.
PAF’s counter-attack with their cutting-edge technology stunned the IAF, as the extraordinary capabilities of PAF and the competence of its pilots were beyond their wildest imagination. Defeated and shocked at the massive loss suffered, Indian jets returned to their bases and were grounded for the entire duration of the four-day war.
After the humiliation of the botched air attack, India shifted the warfront to Kashmir, and the cannons roared across the Line of Control for four nights straight in the valleys and mountains of districts Kotli, Bhimber, Poonch, and far out into Jammu. Pakistan Army destroyed many Indian checkposts along the LOC. There were reported casualties on both sides.
The region must not be embroiled in a disastrous war just because India and Pakistan could not come to an amicable agreement on river water distribution
India and Pakistan were locked in another war, albeit with vague objectives and no endgame, but this time the war was way more sophisticated and dangerous than ever. Both countries sent hundreds of drones into cities across borders and attacked each other’s air bases with ballistic missiles. On the 10th of May, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos and, in a ‘precise and proportionate’ counter-attack, fired hundreds of Fateh-1 surface-to-surface guided missiles into twenty Indian airbases. Pakistan destroyed BrahMos missile storage facilities in Beas and Jammu and neutralised two S-400 systems in Adampur and Bhuj.
India responded by attacking Pakistan’s airbases Nur, Rafiqui, Bholari, and Chaklala and the airport at RYK, but without causing much damage. As the war accelerated, the risk of it entering into a deadlier phase became more real.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts were being made by several countries to bring about a ceasefire.
The raging war between two nuclear-armed countries was a serious enough matter to get the US government involved at the highest level to de-escalate the situation. However, Pakistan did not request a ceasefire from any country at any stage. It was the Indian government that contacted US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and asked for US intervention for a ceasefire, as reported by the international media. With the direct intervention of the President of the USA, a ceasefire was announced.
In just four days, the world witnessed the outstanding military capabilities and fearless command of the COAS of Pakistan Army—but also saw the war hysteria created by the Indian media: screaming and shouting TV anchors baying for blood, and giving completely fabricated falsehoods as breaking news. Ironically, it only helped expose Modi’s far-right fascist government and how it had whipped up this war. An isolated terrorist incident, in IOK, which remains dubious and unsolved to date, with no suspects apprehended and having no credible links to Pakistan, was used by the Modi government as a justification for a premeditated attack on Pakistan's sovereign territory.
The ceasefire is holding for now but the risk remains, as Modi’s narrative, intent and purpose have not changed. What if there is another such incident tomorrow, somewhere in India? Would his war hysteria eventually take us to a possible annihilation?
Pakistan and India both have the capability of carrying nuclear warheads on long and medium-range missiles for thousands of kilometres. One single missile fired or misfired from either side would mean utter and complete destruction. After the first missile is launched, there would be no time for logical thinking or reasoning. There would be no stopping, no going back—just retaliation and destruction.
The world as we know it is at risk. The international power brokers must realise the extent of danger facing the planet due to the aggression of India and the rising tension in the region.
‘Kashmir’ remains the core issue between the two countries; however, no amount of bombings or killings can solve this complex issue. Both countries have to find a sustainable solution through bilateral negotiations and come to an agreement.
Pakistan has reiterated that it wants the solution to the Kashmir issue according to UN Resolution 47 of 1948 and that it supports the right of self-determination of Kashmiris through a plebiscite. But the prerequisite of a genuine plebiscite is the demilitarisation of Kashmir on both sides by India and Pakistan. India has a massive deployment of 600,000 troops in occupied Kashmir and has been oppressing the Kashmiris for decades. In the face of the ever-present Indian aggression, Pakistan cannot vacate its positions in AJK; therefore, the plebiscite remains improbable and the impasse remains.
Kashmir belongs to the people of Kashmir and is not an integral part of India. Pakistan does not have any hegemonic designs on Kashmir but it cannot accept any scenario where India can annex Kashmir and integrate it into its territory. Kashmir is termed as ‘the jugular vein’ of Pakistan because of the rivers flowing down from Kashmir into Pakistan. Pakistan cannot accept the upstream control of the rivers by India, nor can it give up a drop of its share of water. This is the reason why negotiations on Kashmir are among the most complex and require an extraordinary amount of mutual trust, which is currently non-existent.
Today, there are even more questions than answers on Kashmir, for example: what exactly do the majority population in Kashmir want? Would India and Pakistan, both, be willing or even able to accept the result of any majority decision by the Kashmiris? What about the river water sharing? Is India going to abide by the Indus Water Treaty now and in the future? What if the next war brews over river water?
Realising the gravity of the potential dangers, the world must act today to resolve the Kashmir issue and the disputes on cross-border river water sharing. The region must not be embroiled in a disastrous war just because India and Pakistan could not come to an amicable agreement on river water distribution. Many countries in the world share river waters, and this can be done by India and Pakistan.
What cannot be done is to return to yesterday, and in case of a major war, that is the only thing the world would wish for.