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Arab News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistani PM's aide warns Imran Khan's party against stirring ‘instability' with protest drive
ISLAMABAD: A top political adviser to Pakistan's prime minister on Monday warned jailed former premier Imran Khan's political party against inciting unrest during a newly announced protest movement to demand his release, as political tensions in the country continue to intensify. Khan, who was ousted from office in a parliamentary vote in April 2022, has been jailed for nearly two years on multiple charges, which he and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party insist are politically motivated. PTI currently holds power in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and has previously led a number of protest marches toward the capital, Islamabad. On July 13, PTI launched its latest agitation campaign, describing it as a 90-day 'do-or-die' protest. The announcement followed the suspension of 26 PTI lawmakers in Punjab and the Supreme Court's rejection of the party's bid to reclaim reserved parliamentary seats for minorities and women. 'They have now planned a program lasting over 90 days. In this, if they remain peaceful, it's fine, it's their democratic right,' Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the prime minister on political and public affairs, said in an interview with a local news channel. 'And if they take the law in their hands and try to create instability in the country then definitely the law will take its course.' Sanaullah also accused Khan's party of bypassing the government and seeking intervention from the military, commonly referred to in Pakistan as 'the establishment.' 'They did not talk about speaking with the government [to resolve their issues],' he added. 'They want to speak to the establishment, they are trying to straighten out their affairs through them.' The latest protest drive was finalized at a meeting in Lahore on July 12, attended by PTI leader and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur who alleged that the PTI was being denied its right to peaceful protest. He vowed that the party would mobilize supporters nationwide before marching toward the capital. Earlier this month, Khan's sister announced that his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, would join the protest campaign in Pakistan after returning from the United States, where they will seek to raise awareness about alleged human rights violations against Khan and his party. PTI has organized a series of nationwide demonstrations since last year, calling for Khan's release and an independent investigation into the February 2024 general elections. During one such protest in November 2024, the government said four security personnel were killed in clashes with Khan supporters, an allegation PTI denies. The government maintains that the 2024 elections were free and fair and accuses the PTI of undermining democratic processes and causing economic stability through confrontational tactics. Pakistan's military, long a powerful force in national politics, denies accusations of political interference or any role in Khan's ouster or imprisonment.
News18
04-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
From Chest-Thumping To Panic: How Pakistan Unwittingly Admitted India's Op Sindoor Supremacy
PM Sharif's aide revealed Pakistan had 30-45 seconds to decide whether an incoming BrahMos missile was nuclear — the clearest sign yet that Op Sindoor threw Islamabad into panic For days after India's Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's military and political establishment clung to its familiar playbook — denial, deflections and lofty claims of shooting down Indian jets. But in a series of awkward, contradictory, and ultimately revealing statements, key Pakistani leaders have inadvertently confirmed what India had signalled all along: that Operation Sindoor caught Islamabad off guard, hit critical military infrastructure, and left its leadership scrambling. Rana Sanaullah's 45-Second Nuclear Panic The most jarring admission came on July 3, when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's close aide Rana Sanaullah revealed that Pakistan's armed forces had only 30-45 seconds to determine if the incoming BrahMos missile launched by India carried a nuclear warhead. In a televised interview that is now making headlines across both sides of the border, Rana Sanaullah, special assistant to the prime minister, said: 'When India fired a BrahMos missile at our Nur Khan airbase, our military had just 30 or 45 seconds to determine if it carried a nuclear warhead. Such a limited timeframe is extremely dangerous. If there had been any miscalculation, it could have triggered a nuclear response, potentially leading to global disaster." This was the first on-record confirmation from a senior Pakistani official of the chaos and indecision triggered by India's strikes. The missile, launched during Operation Sindoor, hit the Nur Khan Airbase in Chaklala, Rawalpindi — a key Pakistan Air Force installation. But it wasn't just Nur Khan. Satellite images released days later showed extensive damage across several Pakistani airbases — including Sargodha, Bholari, Jacobabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan — with visible destruction to runways, hangars, and key operational buildings. The scale and precision of the strikes suggested that India had carefully mapped and degraded Pakistan's offensive capacity in a matter of minutes. This wasn't the first sign that Pakistan was caught off guard. Back on May 16, PM Shehbaz Sharif stunned many by recounting how he was woken up at 2:30 AM by Army Chief Asim Munir, who informed him that India had launched missile strikes on key Pakistani airbases — including Nur Khan. 'At around 2:30 am on May 10, General Syed Asim Munir called me on the secure line and informed that India's ballistic missiles had hit Nur Khan Airbase and other areas," Sharif said, according to Geo News. He added that Pakistan's air force had responded using 'homegrown technology" on Chinese-origin jets. The Prime Minister's admission directly contradicted weeks of official Pakistani statements claiming 'no damage," 'Indian jets repelled," and 'misinformation by Indian media." Sharif essentially confirmed what India had maintained — that Operation Sindoor was a limited but highly calibrated military strike meant to signal retribution for the Pahalgam terror attack. Ishaq Dar's Blunt Confession In what is arguably the most direct and damaging admission from the Pakistani establishment, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar publicly acknowledged that India struck two key airbases—Nur Khan near Rawalpindi and Shorkot in Punjab—during Operation Sindoor. Speaking in an interview on Geo News, Dar said: 'India attacked the Nur Khan and Shorkot airbases. They launched missile strikes at 2:30 am, hitting our infrastructure just as we were preparing our response. India moved first, and they hit us." He further revealed that Pakistan immediately sought diplomatic assistance to de-escalate: 'Within 45 minutes, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan called me and asked: 'Can I tell [Indian External Affairs Minister] Jaishankar that Pakistan is ready for a ceasefire if India stops?' I said, 'Yes, brother, you can.' He then called me back to confirm." Dar's remarks dismantled weeks of official Pakistani denials that dismissed Indian claims of damage. Khawaja Asif's Misfires And Mixed Messaging Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has played an unusually revealing role, often attempting to project strength, only to undermine it. In an interview with CNN's Becky Anderson, Asif had claimed Pakistan shot down five Indian fighter jets during the operation—including a Rafale. When pressed, he cited 'social media posts" as evidence — only to be fact-checked live, with Anderson pointing out that the footage was taken from video games and archived war clips. Asif sheepishly admitted: 'I'm not saying it's authentic." Adding to the inconsistency, Asif confirmed in late June that Pakistan remained on high alert after the strikes and that it was receiving intelligence support from China. Meant to reassure, the statement unintentionally revealed dependence on external surveillance, exposing vulnerability at the strategic level, especially for a nuclear-armed state that routinely champions its sovereignty. Bottom Line: Pakistan's Own Words Confirm India's Win Despite weeks of chest-thumping, Pakistan's top ministers have, in their own words, confirmed that India's military response was fast, sharp, and effective. India's objective was to take out Pakistan-based terror camps — an infrastructure Islamabad has long denied. But Operation Sindoor also delivered a blow to Pakistan's military confidence and strategic narrative. top videos View all The operation began on May 7, in direct response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, which claimed 26 lives, mostly civilians. In its initial phase, the Indian Air Force focused on dismantling terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Intelligence reports estimated that over 100 terrorists were neutralised in these strikes. But when Pakistan attempted a retaliatory military response, including plans to target Indian cities and key installations, India escalated. In a decisive second phase, carried out on the night of May 9–10, Indian forces struck a string of major Pakistani airbases including Nur Khan, Sargodha, Jacobabad, Murid, and Rafiqui, inflicting damage that Islamabad is still struggling to publicly account for — even as its top ministers slowly, and inadvertently, begin to do so. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : BrahMos missile Operation Sindoor pahalgam terror attack Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 04, 2025, 13:44 IST News india From Chest-Thumping To Panic: How Pakistan Unwittingly Admitted India's Op Sindoor Supremacy
Time of India
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'Only Had 30 Seconds...': Pak PM's Advisor Reveals What Happened When India Fired BrahMos Missile
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's advisor, Rana Sanaullah, recently admitted that Islamabad had only 30 to 45 seconds to assess whether the BrahMos cruise missile fired by India during Operation Sindoor and headed toward the Nur Khan Airbase carried a nuclear warhead. Sanaullah said that even the slightest misunderstanding or misjudgment in those critical seconds could have triggered a nuclear conflict between India and Pakistan. Nur Khan is a major Pakistani Air Force airbase situated in Rawalpindi's Chaklala. The airbase was among 11 such sites hit by Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor. The Indian Air Force had also struck Sargodha, Rafiqui, Jacobabad, and Murid airbases.#shehbazsharif #ranasanaullah #brahmos #operationsindoor #nurkhanairbase #nuclearwar #indiapakistan #nucleartensions #pakistanairforce #indianairforce #rawalpindi #missilecrisis #geopolitics #southasia #nuclearalert #airbases #strategicthreat #indiapakistannuclear #regionalconflict #defensealert #internationalrelations #toi #toibharat Read More
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Had only 30-45 seconds to react: Pakistan PM's aide on India's BrahMos strike during Operation Sindoor
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's advisor Rana Sanaullah has revealed that Pakistan's military had only 30 to 45 seconds to assess whether the BrahMos cruise missile fired by India during Operation Sindoor was carrying a nuclear warhead - a moment he described as dangerously close to triggering a nuclear conflict. The BrahMos missile, which struck Pakistan's Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi during the intense cross-border military exchanges in May, forced Islamabad into a high-stakes, time-critical decision-making window. Speaking to a Pakistani news channel, Sanaullah said, 'When India fired a BrahMos missile at our Nur Khan airbase, our military had just 30 or 45 seconds to determine if it carried a nuclear warhead. Such a limited timeframe is extremely dangerous. If there had been any miscalculation, it could have triggered a nuclear response, potentially leading to global disaster.' The missile strike was part of India's Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which killed 26 people, mostly civilians. The Indian Air Force targeted terror infrastructure across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, destroying camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. Over 100 terrorists were reportedly killed during the operation. Initially, India focused on eliminating terror camps, but after Pakistan attempted a military response targeting Indian border cities and key installations, India escalated by striking multiple Pakistani airbases, including Sargodha, Jacobabad, Murid, Rafiqui, and Nur Khan on the night of May 9-10. The strike on Nur Khan airbase was later confirmed by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who disclosed that Army Chief Asim Munir called him at 2.30 am to inform him of the attack.
Mint
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Mint
‘Pakistan had only 30-45 seconds to react': Shehbaz Sharif's aide on India's BrahMos attack during Operation Sindoor
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's aide Rana Sanaullah has said in an interview that Pakistan only had 30 or 45 seconds to decide if India's BrahMos missile during Operation Sindoor was armed with a nuclear warhead. In a clip from an interview, Rana Sanaullah is heard acknowledging the confusion within Pakistan's political establishment caused by India's actions in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack. 'When India fired BrahMos and it hit Nur Khan airbase, Pakistan's military had 30 or 45 seconds to determine if it carried a nuclear warhead,' Rana Sanaullah said. He also underlined the risk of a nuclear war during the heightened India-Pakistan tensions. 'Having to decide on this in just 30 seconds created a dangerously rushed situation…people on this side could have misunderstood it, triggering the first nuclear weapon that could spark a global nuclear war," he said. Speaking of Donald Trump's role in India-Pakistan conflict, Rana Sanaullah said there should be an independent evaluation of the US President's role. The video of Rana Sanaullah, shared on X by 'Pakistan Untold', is now going viral. The relations between India and Pakistan worsened after the terror attack in which 26 persons, mostly tourists, were shot dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. In retaliation, India launched counter-terror operations and destroyed multiple camps of terror groups in Pakistan and PoK, leading to a tense military showdown that de-escalated on Pakistan's request for a ceasefire.
