Did Operation Sindoor Cause Panic in the Pakistani Army as Intercepts Reveal Abandonment of Posts?

New Delhi, May 23 (NationPress) The recent precision strikes by the Indian Army, known as Operation Sindoor, have instigated turmoil and fear within the ranks of the Pakistani military. Intercepts have disclosed that numerous officers deserted their positions amidst the assault.

Sources from the Indian Army report that intercepted communications indicate a commander from the Pakistani Army's 75th Infantry Brigade, located near the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), declined to resume his duties during the operation.

When approached by junior officers regarding the reopening of the command post, the commander allegedly responded, "The office will open later, prioritize your safety first."

This 75th Infantry Brigade, situated near Muzaffarabad, was one of the units targeted in the Indian Army’s offensive against terror infrastructure across the border.

Numerous camps, including those in the Sawai Nala area and Syedna Bilal Camp, were obliterated in the strike, resulting in the elimination of over 100 terrorists and the destruction of two significant launch pads.

In additional intercepted communications shared with IANS, junior Pakistani officers were heard stating: "Our commander sahab escaped with great difficulty. He’s praying in a mosque. He instructed his men to stay and said he would return only when calm is restored."

The atmosphere of panic was exacerbated by fatalities among the Pakistani Army. One intercept verified the death of Captain Hasnain Shah from the 16th Baloch Regiment, who was killed in the Haji Peer sector. His remains were reportedly transported back to Abbottabad by the 6th Pakistani Brigade.

Officials from the Indian Army estimate that at least 64 Pakistani soldiers were killed and over 96 injured as a result of India’s retaliatory strikes. India asserts that its operations did not target civilian or non-military infrastructure, focusing exclusively on terror hubs and those providing cover for militants.

Operation Sindoor was initiated in retaliation for the horrific murder of 26 Indian tourists in Pahalgam on April 22 by terrorists supported by Pakistan. In a swift counteroffensive, Indian forces launched strikes on nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, neutralizing prominent terrorists and dismantling their launch infrastructure.

While Indian forces targeted terror installations, reports indicate that Pakistani forces retaliated by shelling both military and civilian areas on the Indian side of the LoC, prompting further actions by Indian forces to dismantle involved Pakistani military posts.