As Pakistan declares victory over India following the recent standoff in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, several contradictory statements have emerged from Pakistan’s top political and military leadership, exposing Islamabad’s false narrative of military dominance over India.
Here are three such statements made by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that lay bare the shallowness of Islamabad’s tall claims of military and aerial superiority.
Amid the Indo-Pak standoff earlier this month, Pakistan’s military claimed India was prevented from inflicting any major damage to Pakistani bases and its air defence systems showed a spectacular performance against aerial threats. Pakistani security forces claimed that India allegedly targeted the Nur Khan airbase with ballistic missiles on May 10 but they were ‘intercepted’.
While addressing a ceremony held at the Pakistan Monument on Friday, Sharif said, “At around 2:30 am on May 10, General Syed Asim Munir called me on secure line and informed that India’s ballistic missiles have hit Nur Khan Airbase and other areas. Our Air Force used homegrown technology to save our country, and they even used modern gadgets and technology on Chinese jets,” Geo News reported.
Claim 2: Pakistan was on full alert
Another claim that Pakistan made was that its military remained on full alert and was ready to respond to any escalation from India.
Days before India’s May 7 strikes on terror camps in Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told Reuters that they have strengthened their army, which ‘had become necessary now’. Even ahead of May 10 strikes on Pakistan, its military and political leadership said they were on high alert and ready to fire back.
However, during his Friday address, PM Sharif said he was sleeping during the time of Indian strikes.
Shehbaz, while speaking of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir, said “there was confidence, self-confidence and and patriotism in the general’s voice”. The PM’s unnecessary embellishment of Munir’s posture indicates the reality may have been the exact opposite.
Despite army’s stated ‘preparedness’, the Indian forces were able to strike 11 airbases in the early hours of May 10.
Claim 3: Shot down India’s five fighter jets
One of the boldest claims made by Pakistani side is that they downed five Indian fighter jets during the recent standoff. Earlier on Thursday (May 15), Sharif went a step further and claimed a total of six Indian jets were downed.
Pakistan’s government and the PAF recently hailed the use of the J-10Cs, saying they were used to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales.
Despite these tall claims, the Pakistani side has not presented a shred of evidence backing them. When one side inflicts the damage of such a large scale on the enemy, proof can be collected in the form of wreckage or radar evidence. However, in all of their ‘victory’ speeches and press briefings, both the Pakistani government and army have failed to provide any substantial evidence corroborating their claims.
