New Delhi: Did the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) call up his counterpart in India twice after the launch of Operation Sindoor?
According to reports, the first call was made on he evening of May 7, hours after nine terror facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) were hit by India in high-precision strikes. Though the Pakistani DGMO sought peace, India was apprehensive, given the neighbouring country’s previous track record.
And the apprehensions turned true when Pakistan launched drone and missile strikes on Indian civilian and military targets. India was prepared and the flying objects were intercepted.
The second call by the Pakistan DGMO was made at 3.33 pm on May 10. This was after India launched major attacks against several Pakistan Air Force bases, causing severe damage. In this call, the Pakistan DGMO sought a ceasefire. India just said that it would suspend hostilities if Pakistan stopped firing.
The truce was facilitated through established military communication channels, not US mediation, and was aimed at de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, India Today has reported.
It has also quoted sources as saying that more than 160 individuals – terrorists, their aides and Pakistani military personnel – were killed in the cross-border precision strikes. This includes over 20 people in Bahawalpur, the stronghold of terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Pakistani armed forces also suffered significant losses, with estimates suggesting between 35 to 40 personnel killed. However, Pakistan has officially acknowledged only 11 military fatalities and 78 wounded.
India Today has given a break-up of those killed and injured in attacks on Pakistan Air Force bases. While two were killed at Lahore Airport, two died and seven were injured at Sargodha. There were five injuries at Rahimyar Khan and two deaths and five injuries at Bahawalpur. Eleven deaths have been reported from Sialkot and four from Rawalpindi.
India has made it clear that while cessation of operations continue, it remains prepared to retaliate to any misadventure from the Pakistani side.
