'Save your lives first': Pak Army commander told juniors

New Delhi: The Indian Army's recent precision strikes under Operation Sindoor triggered chaos and panic within the Pakistani military ranks, with intercepts revealing that several of its officers abandoned their posts during the offensive.

According to sources in the Indian Army, intercepted communications show that a commander of the Pakistani Army's 75th Infantry Brigade, stationed near the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), refused to return to his post during the operation.

When junior officers contacted him to inquire about the reopening of the office, the commander reportedly replied, "The office will open later, save your lives first."

The 75th Infantry Brigade, based near Muzaffarabad, was among the units targeted in the Indian Army’s assault on terror infrastructure across the border.

Multiple camps, including those in the Sawai Nala area and Syedna Bilal Camp, were destroyed in the attack, eliminating more than 100 terrorists and decimating two key launch pads.

In another intercepted communication shared by the Indian Army with IANS, junior Pakistani officers could be heard saying: "Our commander sahab escaped with great difficulty. He’s offering namaz in a mosque. He’s sent his men here and said he will return only when things calm down."

The panic was compounded by casualties within the Pakistani Army. One intercept confirmed the death of Captain Hasnain Shah of the 16th Baloch Regiment, who was killed in the Haji Peer sector. His body was reportedly brought back to Abbottabad by the 6th Pakistani Brigade.

Indian Army officials estimate that at least 64 Pakistani soldiers were killed and over 96 wounded in India's retaliatory strikes. As per the army, India did not target civilian or non-military infrastructure, focusing solely on terror hubs and those providing cover to militants.

Operation Sindoor was launched in response to the brutal killing of 26 Indian tourists in Pahalgam on April 22 by Pakistan-backed terrorists. In a swift counteroffensive, Indian forces struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, neutralising top terrorists and dismantling their launch infrastructure.

While Indian strikes were focused on terror targets, Pakistani forces reportedly retaliated by shelling both military and civilian areas on the Indian side of the LoC, prompting further action by Indian forces to dismantle Pakistani military posts involved.

Meanwhile, Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has issued a warning to India similar to that used by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

He was speaking at a public gathering over India's decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance till Islamabad abjures terrorism and stop aiding, funding and supporting terrorist groups emanating from its soil.

Chaudhry reportedly made the comments during a speech at a university in Pakistan.

Referring to India's recent move to suspend the water-sharing treaty following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, he said, "If you block our water, we will choke your breath."

His statement mirrors the hostile rhetoric used by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, known for his inflammatory speeches against India and the US.