In a historic military operation not seen since the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Indian forces have launched precision strikes in Pakistan’s Punjab province—an area widely recognized as the backbone of Pakistan’s military and political landscape.
The operation, dubbed ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeted key cities such as Bahawalpur and Muridke, both of which are considered strategic centers in Pakistani Punjab. The strikes were officially announced during a press briefing in New Delhi by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, flanked by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Air Force.
This marks a departure from India’s past military actions, which have largely avoided Pakistan’s Punjab region. Previous incidents like the 1999 Kargil war were confined to the Ladakh sector, while the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot air raids targeted areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, respectively. Even during Operation Parakram in 2001, when India mobilized its full military might after the Parliament attack, there was no assault on this crucial part of Pakistan.
The recent strikes come as a retaliatory response to the April 2022 Pahalgam terror attack, which resulted in 26 civilian casualties. By targeting Pakistan’s military stronghold for the first time in over five decades, India has delivered a powerful message, shifting its strategy from peripheral strikes to direct engagement with Pakistan’s most vital regions.
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