Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a retired Pakistan Army officer has expressed serious concern over the growing military gap between the two countries. Acknowledging the imbalance, he admitted that Pakistan’s standing army of around 6 lakh soldiers would be unable to match the might of India, which has a 1.6 million-strong army.
The retired officer has suggested that only international intervention – especially from global powers like the United States and China – can help prevent a conflict. His comments reflect growing concern within military circles about Pakistan’s ability to withstand a prolonged confrontation with India without external support.
Meanwhile, according to a report by news agency ANI citing defence sources, India on Saturday carried out retaliatory strikes on at least four Pakistani air bases following “massive provocation and escalation” over the past two days from across the border.
Several explosions were reported at several places in Pakistan in the wee hours of Saturday. Islamabad has confirmed that three air bases – Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Murid (Chakwal) and Rafiqui (Jhang) – were targeted. Additionally, Indian forces reportedly destroyed Pakistani posts and terror launch pads used to launch tube-launched drones.
Surface-to-air missile systems were activated in Srinagar, with heavy gunfire continuing along the Line of Control (LoC). The escalation comes after Pakistan launched armed drone attacks on 26 Indian locations from Jammu and Kashmir to Gujarat on Friday.