Pressure Mounts on Pakistan to Act Rationally
India’s precision strikes on nine key Pakistani terror sites, following the brutal murder of 26 tourists in Kashmir, have achieved their intended impact. The retaliation, long overdue, sends a clear message: India, with its superior military hardware, can conduct pinpoint operations against terror masterminds with impunity—something Pakistan’s Chinese-made defence systems are ill-equipped to counter.
The groundwork for this operation was laid strategically. India’s temporary suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and halting of water flow in the Chenab River—vital for Pakistan’s Kharif crop season—sparked internal unrest. As farmers in Pakistani Punjab faced severe consequences, their anger turned squarely toward the Pakistani establishment.
With mounting domestic pressure and unrest due to the water stoppage, India’s military strikes became even more effective. The Pakistani government was already on the back foot.
A retaliatory response from Pakistan is expected—much like its limited response following the Balakot airstrike. However, Islamabad faces two significant challenges. First, its Chinese-supplied military equipment has proven unreliable, failing to detect or thwart India’s strike. Second, unlike India, Pakistan lacks high-value terror-related targets within Indian territory to retaliate against, presenting a strategic dilemma for its war planners.
India, meanwhile, has prepared extensively. Its robust, multi-layered defence system—capable of intercepting aircraft, missiles, and drones—might not be foolproof, but it is strong enough to blunt the majority of any Pakistani assault. In military terms, that’s mission accomplished.
Behind the scenes, Western powers are urging Pakistan to exercise restraint. The fear of nuclear escalation is real, and any Pakistani counterstrike could trigger a far more devastating Indian response, potentially spiraling into full-scale war.
The ball, clearly, is now in Pakistani court.