THE DEVIL'S ALTERNATIVE

Pakistan army chief seems to have limited options to deal with the ongoing crisis

- Anju gupta

The kinetic response to the Pahalgam massacre has evoked a sharp reaction from the Indian people and government. After two weeks of assessment and preparation, the Indian armed forces targeted key centres of three Pakistan-based terror groups: Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen. Indian missile strikes in the early hours of May 7 targeted nine sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. In retaliation, Pakistan made attempts to target military facilities in northern and western India using drones and missiles, but all attempts were foiled. On May 8, the Indian forces successfully targeted air defence radars and other systems in Pakistan. The escalation is now clearly visible.

Pakistan's chief of army staff General Asim Munir—widely regarded as the informal custodian of the country's security and foreign policies—has now been 'given authority' to respond to the Indian strikes by the very government he had 'selected' for Pakistan following the 2024 elections. To assess Munir's next steps, it is important to examine the challenges and options before him.