Islamabad – In a statement that has ignited widespread controversy, Pakistan Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, currently serving as the Director General of Public Relations for the Pakistan Air Force, referred to the 2019 Pulwama terror attack as an example of “tactical brilliance.” The remarks, made during a press briefing on Friday with foreign correspondents present, have provoked strong reactions across diplomatic and public spheres, especially given Pakistan’s repeated denials of any role in the attack.
“If Pakistan’s land, skies, or waters are threatened, there will be no compromise... We tried to convey this with our tactical brilliance in Pulwama, and now we’ve shown our strategic skills too,” Ahmed stated. Footage of his comments has since gone viral on social media, raising renewed questions about Pakistan’s involvement in the deadly suicide bombing carried out by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Repercussions of the Pulwama Attack
The February 14, 2019 Pulwama attack killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel when a suicide bomber targeted a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir. India responded with a pre-dawn airstrike on JeM’s training camp in Balakot, deep within Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province—an operation widely seen as a major escalation.
In the aftermath, tensions flared further when an Indian Air Force pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was captured during an aerial dogfight. He was returned to India two days later under international pressure.
Despite clear links to JeM, Pakistan has consistently denied involvement, instead demanding “conclusive proof” from India. Ahmed’s latest remarks appear to contradict that longstanding stance.
Online Reaction and Political Implications
Social media was swift to react to Ahmed’s statement. “Did he really admit about Pulwama attack?” asked one user on X, while another posted, “Dear world, this is the reality of Pakistan – they have openly admitted their involvement in a terror attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers.”
A third user pointed out the implications: “Pakistan just confessed! 'Pulwama was tactical brilliance. Now we’ve shown operational progress.' That’s the Pakistan Air Force admitting Pulwama wasn’t the doing of faceless terrorists. It was state-backed.”
These reactions have not only reignited diplomatic tensions but are likely to intensify international scrutiny over Pakistan’s record on counter-terrorism.
A Pattern of Contradictions
This isn’t the first time a senior Pakistani official has acknowledged links to terrorism. In an April 2025 interview with Sky News, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif made a candid admission, stating: “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades... That was a mistake, and we suffered for that.”
Asif’s comment was widely interpreted as a reference to Pakistan’s role in backing militant groups during and after the Cold War era, a policy that many analysts believe has evolved into the present-day tolerance—or even facilitation—of extremist elements operating within and from Pakistani soil.
Ahmed’s remarks, juxtaposed with Asif’s earlier confession, may prove difficult for Islamabad to walk back, especially amid rising tensions following the recent Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. India has pointed to Pakistan-based actors once again, while Islamabad continues to issue blanket denials.
As the global community watches closely, these developments could have serious implications for Pakistan’s diplomatic standing and its already fragile relationship with India.
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