In a rare public admission, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed that Islamabad requested a ceasefire following targeted Indian missile strikes on two strategic air bases—Nur Khan and Shorkot—during Operation Sindoor. The strikes were India’s response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
Speaking on a television news show, Dar revealed that the May 10 Indian missile strikes took out Pakistan’s northern air command-control network at Nur Khan Airbase in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, and also targeted the Shorkot Air Base in Punjab province.
“Unfortunately, India once again launched missile strikes at 2:30 AM. They attacked the Nur Khan Air Base and Shorkot Air Base,” Dar said in a now-viral video.
“Within 45 minutes, Saudi Prince Faisal called me… He asked if he was authorised to talk to (India’s External Affairs Minister) S Jaishankar and convey that we are ready if they (India) stop. I said yes, brother, you can,” he added.
Operation Sindoor and Ceasefire Talks
The military operation was launched about two weeks after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which India attributes to Pakistani-backed militants. According to Air Marshal AK Bharti, Director General of Air Operations, the Indian Air Force successfully shot down high-tech Pakistani fighter jets during the four-day campaign.
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While Pakistan Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry acknowledged that one aircraft suffered “minor damage,” he did not share specifics. In contrast, Indian officials stated that while there were combat losses on the Indian side, all pilots had returned safely.
The conflict ended on May 10 after intense drone and missile strikes across the border. The ceasefire was reportedly brokered with the help of Saudi and U.S. diplomatic channels, following direct communication between officials in Riyadh, Washington, and New Delhi.
