5 hours ago
Last Updated:July 03, 2025, 21:09 IST
Rana Sanaullah, top Pakistani politician, said that during Operation Sindoor, Pakistan's military had just 30 to 45 seconds to determine if an Indian BrahMos missile was nuclear.
Indian Army's BrahMos weapon systems are displayed during a full-dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
Rana Sanaullah, a top Pakistani politician and close aide to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has admitted that during Operation Sindoor, the Pakistan military had just 30 to 45 seconds to decide whether a BrahMos missile launched by India was armed with a nuclear warhead.
His remarks mark one of the first on-record acknowledgements from the Pakistani political establishment of the high-stakes tension and confusion triggered during the Indian counter-terror operation earlier this year.
Pakistan begged Trump for a ceasefire after Indian Brahmos (Harmus) hit Noor Khan Airbase and Pak forces had no time to react.– Admission of Pakistan's defeat by Sp Assistant to Pak PM Rana Sanullahpic.twitter.com/vRnDxEwqCv
— Pakistan Untold (@pakistan_untold) July 3, 2025
“When India fired BrahMos at Nur Khan airbase, Pakistan’s military had only seconds to determine if it was nuclear. That’s a dangerous situation," Rana Sanaullah, special assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said in an interview, according to a report by the Times Of India and a video by X account Pakistan Untold. The video has now become viral.
According to the highly placed aide and former interior minister, the missiles struck the Nur Khan airbase. The Nur Khan airbase is high-value Pakistan Air Force (PAF) facility in Chaklala, Rawalpindi and the Sanaullah appeared to admit that the ballistic missile threw Pakistan into panic mode and raised fears of a full-scale nuclear conflict.
Sanaullah claimed that although India’s BrahMos missile did not carry a nuclear payload, the lack of clarity at the time could have led to catastrophic consequences.
“I’m not saying India did good by not using a nuclear warhead. But such confusion could have sparked a global war," he warned.
The PML-N leader also credited former US President Donald Trump for allegedly stepping in to mediate during the crisis. “There needs to be an independent evaluation of Trump’s role," he said.
India has consistently denied any third-party involvement and maintains that it was Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) who first reached out to de-escalate the situation.
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev...
Read More
Islamabad, Pakistan
First Published:News world 'Just 30 Seconds To React...': Pakistan PM's Aide On India's Brahmos Strike During Op Sindoor
