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In a strongly-worded response to recent media reports, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) categorically rejected claims propagated by segments of Indian media alleging that Pakistan used its nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, a large-scale military operation launched in retaliation against India’s unprovoked aggression. The claims, which emerged in the wake of the operation, were quickly debunked by Pakistani officials, but not before they had gained significant traction across Indian media outlets.
The Disputed Allegations: Indian Media and the Shaheen Missiles Claim
The controversy surrounding Pakistan’s military operation took a dramatic turn when an official Indian Army X account (formerly Twitter) shared a video allegedly showing the use of Pakistan’s Shaheen missile during the operation. This claim was soon disputed by Pakistan, as the country’s Foreign Office dismissed the allegations as completely baseless and misleading. Following the widespread circulation of the video, the Indian Army deleted the post from its account, admitting the error. However, by then, numerous Indian media outlets had already propagated the false narrative, leading to the dissemination of unverified information on a large scale.
Official Pakistan Response: Denial of Nuclear-Weapon Claims
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, condemned the allegations as part of a broader disinformation campaign aimed at distorting the facts of the conflict. In an official statement issued on Monday, Khan emphasized that the claims of Shaheen missile usage were unfounded, designed to mislead both the Indian public and the international community. The spokesperson also pointed to the Indian Army’s silence following the removal of its erroneous post, which raised questions about the intent behind such disinformation.
Pakistan’s stance is clear: the country did not deploy nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles during the operation. Instead, the Pakistani military used highly precise conventional weapons, including Fatah-series missiles (F1 & F2), long-range loitering munitions, and accurate artillery. These details were publicly released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on May 12, 2025, further debunking the allegations about Shaheen missiles. The FO spokesperson stressed that any credible analysis of the conflict should reference the official reports from ISPR rather than relying on speculative and inflated claims.
India Restricts Imports from Bangladesh Amid Growing Diplomatic Tensions
Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos: Pakistan’s Retaliatory Strike
In May 2025, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos as a direct response to India’s increasing aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) and within Pakistan’s territory. The operation targeted several Indian military installations, with Pakistani officials describing the strikes as “precise” and “proportionate” in nature. The military action was framed as a necessary countermeasure against India’s continued violations of international norms and the unprovoked aggression Pakistan had been enduring for weeks.
Pakistan’s military success in the operation was evident, with the country’s armed forces reportedly downing six Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales, and destroying dozens of drones. The intensity of the operation and the precise nature of Pakistan’s strikes demonstrated the country’s growing military capability and commitment to regional stability. However, the confrontation also led to significant casualties, with 53 lives lost, including 40 civilians and 13 military personnel due to Indian strikes.
The Broader Context: The Ceasefire and Diplomatic Challenges
The military confrontation, which lasted for 87 hours, came to an end on May 10, 2025, after the intervention of the United States, which brokered a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. The ceasefire agreement marked the end of the immediate hostilities, but the tensions between Pakistan and India remain high.
The conflict’s escalation was triggered by a terrorist attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in April 2025, which resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists. India quickly blamed Pakistan for the attack, although no evidence was presented to substantiate these allegations. This attack and its aftermath became a key point of contention, leading to the military strikes and the eventual retaliatory operation by Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan also highlighted the narrative distortion by Indian media and the Indian Army as a deliberate attempt to distract from India’s military failures during Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor, reportedly a part of India’s larger military strategy, ended with setbacks, which some analysts believe may have contributed to the creation of false narratives to cover up India’s embarrassing failures.
Media Responsibility and Regional Stability
The Pakistani government has called for responsible journalism and institutional accountability, warning that the dissemination of unverified and provocative content poses a grave danger to regional peace and stability. Pakistan’s Foreign Office emphasized that the spread of false narratives not only undermines the credibility of media institutions but also risks inflaming tensions further, potentially leading to greater instability in an already volatile region.
Pakistan has consistently expressed its commitment to regional peace, calling for transparency in military operations and a truth-based dialogue with India. The Foreign Office urged India to refrain from spreading narratives that could derail the peace process and undermine efforts for mutual trust and dialogue between the two nations.
