Field Marshal Munir rebukes 'external support' claims in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has categorically rejected claims of foreign support in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos against India, terming them 'irresponsible and factually incorrect'.

“Insinuations regarding external support in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect. They reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence,” he said.

Last week, Indian Deputy Army Chief Lt General Rahul Singh admitted India’s military defeat in the operation, further complicating India’s already failed attempt to cover up its humiliation.

Lt Gen Singh’s statement, made two months after the operation’s failure, included baseless accusations against Pakistan, claiming that its success was the result of foreign support from China and Turkey.

However, security experts rejected these allegations, instead reaffirming that Pakistan’s victory was achieved entirely through its own strength.

Read: Pakistan Army announces conclusion of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos: ISPR

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Field Marshal Munir made these remarks while addressing graduating officers of the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad on Monday.

Highlighting India’s failure in Operation Sindoor and Pakistan’s success in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, Munir noted that India’s inability to achieve its stated military objectives during Operation Sindoor—and the subsequent attempt to rationalize this shortfall through convoluted logic—speaks volumes about its lack of operational readiness and strategic foresight.

“Naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics and desperately trying that India remains the beneficiary of larger geopolitical contestation as the so-called net security provider in a region which is getting increasingly weary of its hegemonic and extremist Hindutva ideology,” he added.

In contrast, Munir said, “Pakistan has forged lasting partnerships based on principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace, establishing itself as a stabilising force in the region.”

He reiterated Pakistan’s stance, warning that “any misadventure or attempts to undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty or violate its territorial integrity will be reflexively met with a swift and resolute response—without any constraints or inhibitions”.

“Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs, or ports will instantly invoke a deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response,” said the COAS.

Field Marshal Munir further stated that the onus of escalation will lie squarely on the “strategically blind, arrogant aggressor who fails to recognise the grave repercussions of such provocative actions against a sovereign nuclear state”.

Also Read: DG ISPR lauds students' role in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos

The COAS asserted that wars are not won through media rhetoric, imported fancy hardware, or political sloganeering, but through faith, professional competence, operational clarity, institutional strength, and national resolve.

Field Marshal Munir concluded his speech by expressing confidence in the professionalism, morale and combat readiness of Pakistan’s armed forces. He urged graduating officers to remain steadfast in their values of integrity, selfless service, and unwavering commitment to the nation.

According to the military's media wing, the field marshal was warmly received by president of NDU upon arrival.

The COAS also lauded NDU’s role in strengthening civil-military synergy and nurturing future leadership capable of countering hybrid, conventional, and sub-conventional threats with poise and resolve.

Pakistan-India Recent Conflict

The latest escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. However, Pakistan categorically rejected the Indian blame.

In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day on April 23, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at each other's embassies.

Tensions further escalated in the early hours of May 7, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.

Read More: French intelligence official confirms downing of Rafale by Pakistan

In a swift military response, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets. The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10, when India targeted several Pakistani airbases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, damaging Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases, and other strategic targets.

Later, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following intense diplomatic efforts overnight. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Indian foreign secretary.