General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chairman of Pakistan’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, said on Friday that Pakistan and India are nearing completion of a troop drawdown along their shared border, returning to the levels before their latest military confrontation earlier this month. He warned, however, that the recent conflict has heightened the long-term risk of future escalations.
This follows a sharp escalation after India accused Pakistan — without presenting evidence — of involvement in a deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-occupied Kashmir. In response, India conducted airstrikes inside Pakistani territory in early May, resulting in civilian casualties. Pakistan retaliated by downing five Indian fighter jets, intercepting drones, and launching strikes on Indian airbases. A ceasefire was reached on May 10 after the United States intervened diplomatically.
Gen Mirza confirmed that both sides have begun reducing their military presence at the border. “We are almost back to the pre-April 22 situation,” he said, marking the first public comment from a senior Pakistani military official since the hostilities.
India’s Ministry of Defence and its chief of defence staff’s office did not provide any comments to Reuters on Mirza’s remarks.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Gen Mirza stated that although nuclear weapons were not considered during this conflict, the situation was nonetheless highly volatile. He emphasized the potential for miscalculation during crises, warning that future confrontations may not be confined to the disputed Kashmir region, but could involve broader areas in both countries.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently warned Pakistan of further cross-border strikes targeting “terrorist hideouts” in the event of new attacks on Indian soil. Gen Mirza expressed concern that the threshold for conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations has now been dangerously lowered.
He also criticized the lack of crisis communication infrastructure between Pakistan and India. Aside from a hotline between the military operations directors and a few tactical-level communication channels, he said no formal or informal dialogue is currently taking place. He confirmed that there are no plans to meet with his Indian counterpart, General Anil Chauhan, who is also attending the Singapore forum.
“These issues can only be resolved through dialogue, not warfare,” Mirza asserted.
Meanwhile, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking aboard the INS Vikrant, issued a stern warning, saying India would respond with naval force in any future conflict. He declared that “Operation Sindoor,” under which the airstrikes were launched, is only paused, not concluded. Singh stated, “If Pakistan acts in bad faith again, it will face the full strength of the Indian Navy.”
In response, Pakistan’s military referred to an earlier statement made on May 12, reiterating that any threat to the country’s sovereignty would be met with a “comprehensive and decisive” response.
The recent confrontation has once again spotlighted the fragile peace between two nuclear neighbors, with both sides expressing resolve, but little indication of diplomatic progress.
