After Operation Sindoor, Is Pakistan Blinking First?
Pakistan hints at de-escalation after India’s precision strikes under Operation Sindoor. Is a diplomatic turn finally underway?
After Operation Sindoor, Is Pakistan Blinking First?
In a stunning reversal of tone, Islamabad signals a possible diplomatic reset just hours after vowing fierce retaliation.
Tensions between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan surged once again this week—but what came next surprised many. Following India’s daring cross-border strikes in what it called Operation Sindoor, Pakistan’s defense minister struck a markedly different tone than expected: one not of confrontation, but of conditional calm.
Just hours after promising a full-scale retaliation, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg TV that Pakistan was open to standing down—if India did the same. “We won’t escalate unless provoked,” he said. “If India steps back, we’ll wind this down.”
This softer stance came on the heels of a massive Indian military operation that targeted terror training camps deep inside Pakistan-controlled territory—retaliation for a gruesome April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead.
A Calculated Strike: India Sends a Message
Codenamed Operation Sindoor, the Indian strikes reportedly destroyed nine terror bases located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to security sources, over 80 militants affiliated with notorious groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen were eliminated.
Crucially, Indian officials emphasized that the assault was narrowly aimed. “This was not an attack on Pakistan’s military. We targeted only the infrastructure that enables cross-border terrorism,” said an Indian defense source on condition of anonymity.
By limiting the scope of the operation, New Delhi appeared to send a dual message: India is capable of swift and surgical retaliation, but is not seeking outright war.
Pakistan’s Mixed Signals: From Fire to Diplomacy
Initially, Pakistan reacted with fury. Asif, in an earlier interview with Geo News, issued a chilling warning: “If India tries to seize even an inch of our land, it will be a misadventure they’ll regret deeply.” He vowed that Islamabad’s response would be both “kinetic and diplomatic,” insisting it would not be long before action was taken.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office echoed this rhetoric, calling the strikes “a flagrant act of aggression,” while the army declared it would choose the time and place to respond.
Yet by evening, the narrative shifted. Asif’s Bloomberg appearance revealed a different calculus—possibly influenced by international diplomacy, internal economic strains, or a realization of what escalation could cost.
What’s Driving the Tone Shift?
Experts suggest Pakistan’s walk-back may not just be about India. “This is as much for Washington and Beijing as it is for New Delhi,” said security analyst Meera Vasudevan. “Pakistan is under economic duress. A military spiral right now could isolate it further.”
Others point to growing pressure on Pakistan to distance itself from terror-linked networks. “Every time an attack happens with links to Pakistan, its global standing slips a notch,” said retired Indian diplomat Rakesh Sood. “This response may be as much about optics as intent.”
Indeed, recent reports from FATF (Financial Action Task Force) suggest that Pakistan remains under scrutiny for its handling of terror financing. A military escalation could undermine its efforts to stay off the blacklist.
A Window for Dialogue—or a Tactical Pause?
India has remained publicly silent on Asif’s conciliatory remarks. Privately, however, officials are said to be wary. “We’ve seen these U-turns before,” one Indian intelligence officer told local media. “Any opening must be verified by action, not rhetoric.”
Still, history shows that even the thinnest openings can lead to breakthroughs. After the 2019 Pulwama attack and India’s Balakot airstrikes, both countries backed off from the brink, aided by third-party diplomacy and mutual restraint.
Could Operation Sindoor lead to a similar de-escalation?
Final Thoughts: Diplomacy Over Detonation?
Khawaja Asif’s sudden tone-shift might be a fleeting maneuver—or a real opportunity. The region has endured decades of flashpoints, each a reminder of how close South Asia lives to the edge. But this time, the silence from guns could speak louder than the roar of missiles.
For now, the world watches. And hopes that behind the sabers, cooler heads are quietly prevailing.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on publicly available information and expert commentary. It aims to present a balanced perspective on recent developments in Indo-Pak relations. It does not represent any governmental or institutional endorsement.
source : India Today