Operation Sindoor Caused Fractures In Pakistan's Civil-Military Balance: Sources

The internal discourse in Pakistan's power circles hints at deeper fractures in the country's civil-military balance after India struck nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK), said government sources.

In Pakistan, infamous for repeated military coups, the political leadership has been facing mounting pressure from the opposition and civil society. "Opposition parties accused the military of failing to protect national sovereignty, while civil society questioned the wisdom of allowing extremist groups to operate so close to populated areas," said sources.

Last night, India carried out strikes at nine targets in Pakistan and POK used by terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammad, to avenge the Pahalgam attacks. More than 70 terrorists were killed and over 60 were injured in the strikes on terrorist training camps and logistical networks, said sources. Follow live updates here

Pakistan condemned the strikes as unprovoked aggression, but the internal discourse hinted at deeper fractures in the civil-military balance, they added.

The civil-military balance is crucial to Pakistan's governance, which has seen its governments collapse due to either rampant corruption, military coups, or forced resignations.

National security analysts praised the precision and timing of the strikes and the diplomatic messaging, and they called it a benchmark for future asymmetric responses. While India has maintained that it does not desire prolonged conflicts, it reserves the right to respond to any provocation with force, said government sources.

"Operation Sindoor not only reshaped the security dynamics of the subcontinent but also redefined the threshold for military engagement between the two adversaries," they added.

Sources also pointed to the provocations by Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, including ballistic missile tests by Islamabad. Both countries' armed forces were put on alert, while the Line of Control (LoC) saw a sharp escalation.

In the April 22 massacre, 25 Indian citizens and a Nepalese tourist were killed in cold blood in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam by terrorists. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said last night's strikes were India's response to the Pahalgam killings.

The tri-services operation comprised precision strikes on nine bases across the border and the Line of Control, used by terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Muhajideen, and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

Hours later, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar shared a one-line message, stating that the world must show zero tolerance for terrorism.

The international community gave a mixed reaction to Operation Sindoor. While the UN, US, and the European Union called for an immediate de-escalation and urged the two nuclear-armed neighbours to show restraint, many countries backed India's right to defend itself.

Behind closed doors, several Western countries acknowledged that Pakistan's longstanding tolerance of terrorist groups had finally drawn an inevitable response, said sources. Some of them saw Op Sindoor as a necessary step to correct a regional imbalance in deterrence, they added.