India’s military response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political and military leadership, with President Asif Ali Zardari later revealing that he was advised to take shelter in a bunker as tensions peaked in May. The admission came during a public address on Saturday, where Zardari spoke about the atmosphere of alarm that followed India’s retaliatory strikes.
According to Zardari, his Military Secretary approached him during the escalation and warned that hostilities had effectively begun. He recalled being told that it would be safer to move to a bunker, as Indian forces had launched precision strikes in response to the deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Despite the warning, Zardari said he chose not to seek shelter, suggesting he had anticipated such a situation days earlier.
India initiated Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, carrying out targeted strikes on Pakistani military installations. These came after earlier Indian operations hit nine terror camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Indian officials described the action as calibrated and precise, aimed specifically at dismantling terror infrastructure and preventing further cross-border attacks rather than escalating into a full-scale conflict.
The strikes, however, sharply raised tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Pakistan responded with heavy cross-border shelling, prompting India to retaliate along the Line of Control. The exchange of fire heightened fears of a broader military confrontation, with both sides placed on high alert as the situation rapidly deteriorated.
Zardari’s remarks offered rare insight into the level of concern within Pakistan’s leadership during the crisis. He acknowledged that the possibility of war had been taken seriously at the highest levels, even though he personally declined to move to a secure location when advised to do so.
The standoff eventually eased after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations reached out to his Indian counterpart to propose a ceasefire. India accepted the proposal, leading to a halt in hostilities across land, air and sea. The development was later confirmed by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who stated that both sides had agreed to de-escalate and suspend military action.
India’s retaliatory strikes were triggered by the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which New Delhi attributed to cross-border terrorism. The incident sparked strong calls within India for decisive action, culminating in the May strikes that marked one of the most serious military flare-ups between the two countries in recent years before calm was restored through diplomatic and military channels.
