In a startling development, Pakistan’s own military sources have confirmed that India may strike within the next 24 to 36 hours. If that’s true, then Pakistan must be ready to face the consequences. If not, then call India’s bluff. But why whine and play the victim to the world? That card has lost its value.
The reality is, no one is coming to Pakistan’s rescue. Not even China. Beijing understands the consequences of aligning itself with a sinking ship at this point. It has its own economic slowdown and strategic vulnerabilities to manage. Turkey, Pakistan’s only remaining vocal backer, may offer rhetorical support or token diplomatic gestures. But let’s be clear: Turkey is in no position to provide military support that could alter the balance against India.
Pakistan’s internal confusion is equally glaring. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reportedly doesn’t know how to respond. The once-blustering Army Chief Gen. Syed Asim Munir—who was making provocative statements even after the brutal Pahalgam massacre, has now vanished from public view, barring a pre-recorded video from an undisclosed location. In it, he mouthed vague reassurances about the army’s duty to protect citizens. But the optics are clear: Pakistan’s military brass is in panic mode.
Even within Pakistan, the response has been far from united. Jailed opposition leader Imran Khan has not only condemned the Pahalgam attack unequivocally but also warned the establishment that India’s retaliation will be swift and unforgiving. This is no longer a matter of internal political rivalry. Even Khan, despite his past disagreements with India, recognizes the danger of provoking a country that has global legitimacy and a vastly superior military apparatus.
International support for India is surging. The United States has not only condemned the Pahalgam attack but also warned Pakistan over its rampant human rights abuses and its long-standing role as a breeding ground for terror groups. The U.S. President Donald Trump (in an echo of past comparisons) has likened Pakistan’s army chief to the former ISIS leader, as the new Osama Bin Laden, eliminated after being found hiding in Pakistani territory. The message is unmistakable: the world is tired of Islamabad’s double game.
To make matters worse for Pakistan, long-oppressed Baloch leaders have called for an uprising, seizing the moment to push for independence amid the chaos. The Afghan Taliban—once a dependable proxy—are now launching cross-border attacks across the Durand Line, throwing Pakistan’s western front into turmoil. Meanwhile, the overstretched Pakistani military is confused, demoralized, and woefully unprepared for a coordinated Indian strike.
Reports from within Pakistan’s media paint an even grimmer picture. The country is reportedly facing acute fuel shortages and dwindling ammunition reserves. Its military preparedness is in shambles. Strategic analysts within Pakistan are criticizing the government’s lack of diplomatic foresight, especially the apparent failure to prevent India from threatening the Indus Waters Treaty—a move that could devastate Pakistan’s agriculture-dependent Punjab region.
This dysfunction is only made worse by the fractured state of Pakistan’s coalition government, the widening rift between civilian and military leadership, and an opposition that is watching it all unfold from prison cells and safe houses. There is no unified front, no clarity of purpose—just fear, confusion, and finger-pointing.
Contrast this with India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been holding daily high-level meetings with the three service chiefs, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, NSA Ajit Doval, and the Chief of Defence Staff. India’s response is not impulsive; it is strategic, deliberate, and aimed at delivering maximum impact.
The Navy has already declared, “No mission too distant.” The Indian military machine is not just aiming to destroy terror camps along the LoC—it is reportedly preparing for deeper strikes into Rawalpindi, the nerve center of the ISI and Pakistan Army. India’s objective this time appears to go beyond deterrence: it seeks to dismantle Pakistan’s terror infrastructure permanently and reconfigure the region’s security architecture for lasting peace.
The writing is on the wall. Pakistan is being cornered not just militarily, but diplomatically, politically, and economically. The only option left for Islamabad is to own up to its decades-long sponsorship of terror, dismantle its rogue military-intelligence complex, and begin a painful process of reform.
If Pakistan cannot do that, then it must be prepared to pay the price. Because this time, India isn’t just aiming to retaliate—it’s looking to reshape the narrative, once and for all.
