India’s Operation Sindoor Leaves Trail of Destruction in Pakistan
India’s Operation Sindoor Leaves Trail of Destruction in Pakistan: Civilian and Military Toll Mounts, Infrastructure Ravaged
Islamabad, May 14, 2025 – In the early hours of May 7, 2025, India launched a series of precision military strikes under Operation Sindoor, targeting locations across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir in retaliation for a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which claimed 26 civilian lives. Pakistani newspapers, including Dawn, The Express Tribune, Geo News, and ARY News, have reported extensively on the devastating impact of these strikes, detailing significant civilian and military casualties, widespread infrastructure damage, and a shaken national psyche. The operation, described by India as a surgical strike against terrorist infrastructure, has been condemned by Pakistani authorities as an act of aggression targeting civilian areas, escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors to a dangerous peak.
Initial Reports: A Nation Under Attack
According to Dawn, the Indian Air Force initiated Operation Sindoor with a 22-minute barrage of air and missile strikes targeting nine alleged terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The strikes began at approximately 1:05 a.m. on May 7, hitting locations from Muridke to Bahawalpur, including Kotli, Muzaffarabad, and the strategically significant Bholari airbase in Sindh. The Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) reported 24 impact sites across six localities, with an initial death toll of 40 civilians and 13 soldiers, alongside 121 civilian injuries and 78 military personnel wounded.
Geo News detailed the chaos in Muzaffarabad, where a mosque-seminary complex was struck, killing five civilians, including worshippers and students. The outlet quoted local residents describing the scene as “apocalyptic,” with debris from the mosque’s minaret scattered across the area. In Bahawalpur, ARY News reported that the Jamia Masjid Subhan Allah, a known community hub, was hit by a missile, resulting in 13 deaths, including a young child, and sparking outrage among locals who accused India of targeting civilian infrastructure.
The Pakistani government, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, swiftly condemned the strikes as an “unprovoked act of war.” In a televised address, Sharif stated, “India’s aggression has violated our sovereignty, targeting innocent civilians under the guise of counter-terrorism.” The Foreign Ministry echoed this sentiment, asserting that the strikes hit non-military targets, including a hydroelectric dam and civilian neighborhoods, causing widespread panic.
Rising Casualty Figures: A Grim Tally
As the dust settled, Pakistani media outlets updated their casualty figures, reflecting the scale of the devastation. Dawn reported on May 13 that the death toll had risen to 51, comprising 40 civilians and 11 military personnel, with injuries ranging from 59 to 121 across affected areas. The Express Tribune highlighted specific incidents, such as the strike on a residential area in Kotli, where 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed when their homes were caught in the crossfire. The outlet quoted a local official, who stated, “These were not terrorist hideouts; these were homes of ordinary people, now reduced to rubble.”
The Express Tribune also reported on the emotional toll, with families in Muzaffarabad and Bahawalpur holding mass funerals for the victims. One resident, speaking anonymously to the newspaper, said, “We were sleeping when the missiles hit. My neighbor lost his entire family. How can India justify this?” The newspaper emphasized that the strikes had inflamed anti-India sentiment, with protests erupting in major cities like Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.
Geo News provided further details on cross-border shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) between May 8 and 9, which claimed an additional five civilian lives, including a two-year-old girl in Shahkot Village, Neelum Valley. The outlet published images of damaged homes and grieving families, underscoring the human cost of the escalation. Meanwhile, ARY News reported that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) leader Masood Azhar claimed 10 of his relatives, including five children, were among the civilian casualties in Bahawalpur, further complicating the narrative around targeted strikes.
Military Losses and Infrastructure Damage
The Indian strikes also inflicted significant damage on Pakistan’s military infrastructure, a point reluctantly acknowledged by Pakistani officials. Dawn reported that the Bholari airbase, a key operational hub in Sindh, was hit, with the Chief Minister of Sindh confirming the deaths of six air force personnel and injuries to five others. Satellite imagery published by The Express Tribune revealed extensive damage to a hangar at Bholari, where an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft was reportedly destroyed. A retired Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Marshal, Masood Akhtar, admitted in an interview that the loss of the AWACS was a significant blow, stating, “The Indian missiles came in waves, and our pilots couldn’t secure the aircraft in time.”
Other airbases, including Nur Khan in Rawalpindi and Shahbaz in Jacobabad, sustained damage. Dawn noted that two mobile control centers at Nur Khan were destroyed, with smoke visible from nearby civilian areas. The proximity of Nur Khan to Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division, responsible for overseeing the country’s nuclear arsenal, raised alarm bells, with The Express Tribune quoting analysts who warned of the risks of targeting sites near sensitive installations. The newspaper reported nine injuries at Shahbaz airbase and a police constable injured in a drone strike in Sharafi Goth, Malir, Karachi.
The Express Tribune also highlighted the broader impact on Pakistan’s air defenses, noting that Indian forces used BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to jam Chinese-supplied radar systems, leaving the Pakistan Air Force “blinded” and unable to respond effectively. The destruction of radar and command centers at 11 airbases, including Rafiqui, Murid, and Sargodha, was described as a “five-year setback” for the PAF by Indian sources, a claim that Pakistani media did not directly refute but framed as an exaggeration meant to demoralize the nation.
Civilian Infrastructure: A Humanitarian Crisis
Beyond military targets, Pakistani newspapers emphasized the damage to civilian infrastructure. Geo News reported that the Sheikh Zayed Airport’s Royal Lounge in Karachi was significantly damaged, disrupting civilian air travel and prompting international airlines to suspend flights to Pakistan. The outlet also covered the destruction of a hydroelectric dam in PoK, which left thousands without power and disrupted water supply to nearby villages. Local leaders described the situation as a “humanitarian crisis,” with hospitals in Muzaffarabad and Kotli struggling to treat the injured due to power outages and overwhelmed facilities.
ARY News aired footage of damaged schools and markets in Bahawalpur, where residents claimed that Indian drones targeted civilian areas indiscriminately. A shopkeeper interviewed by the channel said, “Our market was bustling when the strike hit. We lost friends, neighbors, and our livelihoods in seconds.” The channel’s coverage included statements from religious leaders who called for national unity and vowed to “avenge the martyrdom of innocents.”
The Express Tribune reported on the economic fallout, noting that the strikes had spooked foreign investors and led to a sharp decline in the Pakistan Stock Exchange. The newspaper quoted an economist who estimated that rebuilding the damaged infrastructure could cost billions of rupees, further straining Pakistan’s already fragile economy. The destruction of roads and bridges in PoK, as reported by Dawn, also hampered relief efforts, leaving remote communities cut off from aid.
Pakistan’s Response and International Reaction
Pakistan’s military mounted a counteroffensive on May 8–10, targeting Indian military installations and civilian areas, including an alleged attempt to strike the Golden Temple in Amritsar with drones and missiles. Geo News reported that Pakistan’s air force shot down five Indian warplanes, a claim India has not confirmed. The Pakistani military also launched tactical surface-to-surface missiles targeting Indian bases in Adampur, Gujarat, and Punjab, but Dawn noted that these strikes were largely ineffective, with India’s S-400 missile defense system intercepting most projectiles.
The Pakistani Senate, chaired by Deputy Chairman Syedaal Khan Nasar, condemned the Indian strikes and called for an international investigation into the civilian casualties. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar praised the armed forces’ “unwavering resolve” in Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, Pakistan’s retaliatory campaign, but acknowledged the heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure and morale.
Internationally, the strikes drew mixed reactions. Dawn reported that Turkey and Azerbaijan issued statements supporting Pakistan, prompting Indian tourists to cancel holidays in these countries. The United States, wary of escalation between the nuclear-armed neighbors, brokered a ceasefire announced on May 10 by President Donald Trump. However, The Express Tribune quoted Pakistani diplomats who expressed frustration at the international community’s reluctance to condemn India’s actions, accusing Western powers of bias.
Domestic Fallout: Protests and Political Tensions
The strikes have galvanized public sentiment in Pakistan, with Geo News and ARY News covering mass protests in major cities. Demonstrators burned effigies of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chanted slogans demanding retaliation. The Express Tribune reported that opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), criticized the government’s response as “weak,” calling for a stronger military posture. PTI leader Imran Khan, in a statement published by Dawn, said, “The government must answer why our defenses were caught off-guard. This is a failure of leadership as much as it is an act of Indian aggression.”
Religious groups have also mobilized, with ARY News reporting that clerics in mosques across the country declared the victims “martyrs” and called for jihad against India. The channel’s coverage highlighted the risk of radicalization, with analysts warning that the strikes could fuel recruitment for militant groups like JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The Path Forward: A Fragile Ceasefire
As of May 14, a US-brokered ceasefire has halted active hostilities, but the situation remains tense. Dawn reported that Pakistan is willing to restart talks on the Indus Waters Treaty, which India has put on hold, but only if cross-border terrorism ceases. The newspaper also noted that Pakistan’s military remains on high alert, with fears of further Indian strikes lingering.
The Express Tribune published an editorial urging the government to prioritize rebuilding efforts and seek international support to address the humanitarian crisis. The newspaper called for unity, stating, “Pakistan must rise above political divisions to face this unprecedented challenge. The world is watching, and we must show resilience.”
Geo News interviewed military analysts who warned that India’s use of advanced weaponry, including BrahMos missiles and cyber warfare tactics, exposed vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s defense systems. One analyst remarked, “Operation Sindoor was a wake-up call. We need to modernize our defenses and prepare for a new era of warfare.”
Conclusion: A Nation in Mourning
Operation Sindoor has left Pakistan grappling with a heavy toll: 51 confirmed deaths, including 40 civilians and 11 military personnel, with up to 121 injuries reported by Pakistani media. The destruction of airbases, civilian infrastructure, and economic disruption has compounded the crisis, while the loss of an AWACS aircraft and damage to sensitive military sites has weakened Pakistan’s strategic posture. Pakistani newspapers, from Dawn to ARY News, have painted a grim picture of a nation under siege, with civilian suffering at the forefront of their coverage.
As Pakistan mourns its losses and rebuilds, the scars of Operation Sindoor are likely to shape its domestic and foreign policy for years to come. The fragile ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope, but with both sides accusing each other of violating trust, the path to peace remains fraught with uncertainty. For now, the voices of the bereaved, as captured by Pakistan’s media, echo a demand for justice and resilience in the face of adversity.
Sources: Dawn, The Express Tribune, Geo News, ARY News