Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has admitted that India struck the Nur Khan airbase in the early hours of May 10, marking a rare admission eight months after the four-day military confrontation between the two countries.
Dar said Islamabad did not request mediation between the two countries during the May conflict, but claimed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan wanted to speak with New Delhi.
India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes between the two countries and ended with an understanding to stop the military actions on May 10.
"As many as 79 of 80 drones sent by India were intercepted within 36 hours. India then made the mistake of attacking the Nur Khan Airbase in the early hours of May 10, prompting Pakistan's retaliatory operation, Dar, who is also the foreign minister," said while outlining Pakistan's diplomatic engagements in 2025.
Dar said that on May 10, US Secretary of State Rubio called him at around 8:17 am, in which he conveyed that India was ready for a ceasefire and asked whether Pakistan would agree.
"I said we never wanted to go to war," Dar added.
He further said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal later contacted him seeking permission to speak with India and subsequently confirmed that a ceasefire had been agreed.
Dar also claimed that Pakistan shot down seven Indian jets during the May 7 air battle, without providing any evidence in support of his claims.
The minister reiterated Pakistan's position that lasting peace in the region is linked to a resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
(With inputs from PTI)
