* Islamabad | August 9, 2025 : *In a sharply worded response to recentremarks by the Indian Air Force Chief, the Defence Minister of the IslamicRepublic of Pakistan has categorically rejected what he called “fictitiousclaims” regarding the outcome of the May 2025 Pakistan-Indiaconflict—specifically during *Operation Sindoor*.
Calling the Indian assertions both “ill-timed and implausible,” thePakistani Defence Minister accused New Delhi of attempting to rewrite thenarrative of the conflict three months after its conclusion. “For threemonths, no such claims were voiced—while Pakistan, in the immediateaftermath, presented detailed technical briefings to the internationalmedia,” the Minister said during a press conference held in Islamabad onFriday.
He further alleged that independent observers and intelligence assessmentshad confirmed the loss of multiple Indian aircraft, including Rafalefighter jets, and the destruction of sophisticated defence systems such asthe S-400 air defence batteries. According to the Minister, Pakistan’s airforce suffered no losses, while six Indian jets, several unmanned aerialvehicles, and critical Indian airbases were neutralised during the briefbut intense conflict.
*“If the truth is in question, let both sides open their aircraftinventories to independent verification—though we suspect this would laybare the reality India seeks to obscure,”* the Minister challenged.
*A Call for Independent Verification*
The Pakistani proposal for a third-party audit of both nations’ air forceinventories represents an unprecedented level of transparency in SouthAsian military posturing. Analysts say such a move, if accepted by bothsides, could settle conflicting claims and prevent the kind of narrativebattles that typically follow military confrontations in the region.
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*“Wars are not won by falsehoods but by moral authority, national resolveand professional competence,”* the Minister stated. He warned thatdistorted accounts of military engagements could lead to *“grave risks ofstrategic miscalculation in a nuclearised environment.”*
*Operation Bunyanum Marsoos: Pakistan’s Message*
The Defence Minister also referenced Pakistan’s military doctrine asdemonstrated during *Operation Bunyanum Marsoos*, a retaliatory strikelaunched following Indian incursions in May. Emphasizing that any violationof Pakistan’s sovereignty would invite a swift and proportional response,he laid the blame for escalation squarely on what he termed the “strategicblindness” of India’s political leadership.
The statement comes amid heightened tensions and continued rhetoric fromboth sides, with diplomatic channels reportedly active but fragile.