IRIA News

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The Pakistan Army conducted full-scale war exercises this week to demonstrate a robust show of force and operational readiness. The drills were part of a strategic initiative to prepare for “a powerful and decisive response to any hostile act.”

The military exercises took place in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province and featured live-fire demonstrations of advanced weapon systems, intricate battlefield maneuvers, and the seamless integration of combat units.

“The exercise was meticulously designed to validate combat readiness, battlefield synergy, and the operational integration of cutting-edge weapon systems under near-battlefield conditions,” the Pakistani army said in a statement.

In a powerful demonstration of operational readiness and strategic capability, Pakistan conducted two major military exercises in early May 2025—Exercise Hammer Strike and Exercise Indus.

On May 1, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir visited the Tilla Field Firing Ranges to witness Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training operation led by the Pakistan Army’s Mangla Strike Corps. The exercise aimed to validate combat readiness, test the integration of advanced weapon systems, and simulate realistic battlefield scenarios.

Featuring multirole fighter aircraft, long-range precision artillery, combat aviation assets, and next-generation field engineering techniques, Hammer Strike underscored the Army’s growing adoption of cutting-edge technologies to enhance both kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities.

Troops from across various arms and services executed synchronized offensive maneuvers with exceptional tactical cohesion and agility, showcasing the operational maturity and professionalism of Pakistan’s military. General Munir commended the participants for their high morale and combat effectiveness, describing them as “the embodiment of Pakistan Army’s operational excellence.”

Addressing the troops, Pakistan’s army chief emphasized the nation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty. “Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response,” he stated. “While Pakistan remains committed to regional peace, our preparedness and resolve to safeguard national interests are absolute.”

Pakistan tests ballistic missile

Further reinforcing Pakistan’s strategic posture, the military successfully conducted a training launch of the Abdali Weapon System on May 3, 2025, as part of Exercise Indus. The surface-to-surface missile, with a range of 450 kilometers, was launched to assess its advanced navigation system and improved maneuverability, reaffirming the operational readiness of Pakistan’s Strategic Forces.

The launch was “aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters, including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features”.

The event was witnessed by senior officials from the Strategic Plans Division and the Army Strategic Forces Command, as well as leading scientists and engineers. In congratulatory messages, the President, Prime Minister, and military leadership reaffirmed their confidence in the capabilities of Pakistan’s strategic forces, underscoring the nation’s commitment to maintaining a credible minimum deterrence posture to deter aggression and preserve national security.

The missile test came three days after Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed Pakistan had “credible intelligence” of an imminent Indian military strike in response to last month’s killings in Indian-administered Kashmir.

#Pakistan today conducted a successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System— a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 450 kilometers as part of Ex INDUS. #PakistanArmy #COAS #ISPR

The launch was aimed at ensuring the operational readiness of troops and validating… pic.twitter.com/uyvGhrwg8c

— Pakistan Armed Forces News 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) May 3, 2025

Mounting tensions between India and Pakistan

The show of strength comes at a time of mounting tensions following an April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists. India swiftly blamed Pakistan for orchestrating the attack, an allegation Islamabad completely denies.

“Pakistan is ready to join a credible international probe into the incident,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated during a call with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Thursday, dismissing what he described as “India’s attempts to link Pakistan with the attack on tourists.”

The already volatile Line of Control (LoC) between the two nations flared up this week as Pakistani forces destroyed an Indian check post in retaliation for what it called “unprovoked small-arms fire” in the Kiani and Mandal sectors. According to Pakistani security sources, the retaliatory strike neutralized enemy bunkers, including the strategically significant Chakputra post in India-controlled Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian and Pakistani troops have engaged in nightly exchanges of gunfire across multiple sectors along the LoC. The Indian Army accused Pakistan of initiating unprovoked small-arms fire in Kupwara, Uri, and Akhnoor. Conversely, Pakistan’s state media claimed that Indian forces violated the ceasefire agreement by targeting the Mandal sector with heavy weapons.

Though such skirmishes are not uncommon in Kashmir, this latest flare-up comes against the backdrop of rapid political and diplomatic fallout stemming from the Pahalgam attack.

Diplomatic retaliation and border closures

In an unprecedented response, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a cornerstone water-sharing agreement between the two nations. It also revoked visas issued to Pakistani nationals, closed the Wagah-Attari border, and halted bilateral trade and diplomatic engagement.

Islamabad responded in kind by expelling Indian diplomats and military advisers, canceling visas for Indian citizens (except Sikh pilgrims), and closing the border crossing on its side. Airspace between the two countries has also been mutually shut down, escalating logistical and civilian complications amid the diplomatic deadlock.

International diplomacy mobilized

The rapidly deteriorating situation has prompted urgent international attention. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called both Pakistani Prime Minister Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday, urging restraint and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Rubio’s intervention underscores the high stakes of the conflict between two nuclear-armed states. According to U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, the Secretary “expressed sorrow over last week’s massacre” and reaffirmed the U.S.’s “commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism.”

While India has vowed to pursue the perpetrators “to the ends of the earth,” as declared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Islamabad maintains that it had no role in the Pahalgam attack and continues to request international oversight for a transparent investigation.

Meanwhile, Pakistani intelligence officials have alleged that India is planning a retaliatory strike within days, a claim that, if realized, could push the region to the brink of direct conflict.

Kashmir issue

The contested region of Kashmir remains at the heart of the hostility between the two South Asian powers. Since 1947, India and Pakistan have fought two wars and one limited conflict over the region, each side claiming it in full but administering separate parts.

The volatile situation has now reached one of its most dangerous junctures in recent years. With diplomats expelled, borders closed, and armies on high alert, the space for peaceful negotiation is shrinking.

India’s swift punitive measures following the Pahalgam massacre and Pakistan’s equally forceful countermeasures have left the region in a state of suspended instability. Analysts fear that continued exchanges of fire and rhetorical brinkmanship could spiral into a full-fledged military confrontation if not checked.

In the meantime, both countries continue to harden their stances. India has closed its doors to Pakistani citizens, while Pakistan is flexing its military muscle with drills that underscore its readiness for battle. “The Pakistan Army is always ready to give a befitting reply to any aggression by the enemy,” security sources reaffirmed following military exercises.

As the international community watches with growing concern, it remains to be seen whether diplomacy can prevail over militarism, or if South Asia is hurtling toward another dark chapter in its history of conflict.