Tensions between Pakistan and India reached a critical stage earlier this month following a series of escalatory moves by India. On 7 May 2025, Indian forces carried out air strikes against Pakistani territory. This act Pakistan has described as a dangerous and unilateral breach of international norms. On 16 May 2025, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan briefed journalists on Pakistan’s measured military response to Indian aggression, and reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional peace and sovereignty.
According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, Pakistan exercised its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, launching a calibrated and proportionate military response under Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos in the early hours of 10 May. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF), acting within its operational mandate, shot down six Indian Air Force fighter jets that had either violated Pakistani airspace or targeted Pakistani soil.
According to official sources, Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes were restricted to military installations and avoided civilian targets, underlining what officials have described as the country’s responsible and restrained approach to conflict. The successful neutralisation of Indian jets, drones, and other military assets has been widely acknowledged. However, India continues to frame the situation in terms designed to obscure the ground realities.
“Our response was measured, proportionate, and focused solely on military targets,” the spokesperson emphasized. “Pakistan’s decisive success in neutralizing hostile aircraft and installations is a matter of record that cannot be distorted by propaganda.”
The spokesperson also rejected India’s assertion of a “new normal” in bilateral relations through aggressive posturing. Instead, Pakistan’s measured response, coupled with its restraint, was presented as a reaffirmation of its commitment to regional peace and stability.
On 14 May 2025, a significant confidence-building measure was enacted when Pakistan returned an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) constable. India reciprocated by releasing a Pakistan Rangers sepoy. This mutual exchange followed a series of contacts between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries since 10 May, who have reportedly agreed on a structured framework for phased de-escalation.
Pakistan also expressed appreciation for the constructive roles played by friendly nations in brokering the recently announced ceasefire, while firmly rejecting Indian claims that Pakistan acted out of “despair and frustration.”
“This portrayal is baseless. The facts are self-evident,” the spokesperson emphasized.
Pakistan also hailed international initiatives to de-escalate tensions and reiterated support for President Trump’s call to engage both Pakistan and India on a path toward resolving the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute—a conflict at the heart of many military flashpoints between the two neighbours.
Amidst calls for peace, Pakistan highlighted the importance of international scrutiny over India’s ongoing belligerence, urging global partners to ensure India honours the ceasefire and refrains from further aggression.
“Let there be no doubt: Pakistan’s commitment to peace must never be mistaken for weakness. Any future aggression will be met with full resolve,” the spokesperson added. “In this era, peace is the true strength. The world needs mature leadership, not theatrical militarism.”
Reiterating its consistent stance on dialogue and diplomacy, Pakistan called for meaningful and result-oriented engagement to resolve all outstanding issues, especially the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir.
“A just and peaceful settlement is indispensable for lasting peace in South Asia,” the statement concluded.
