Pak PM's aide on India's BrahMos attack: 'Had only 30-45 seconds to analyse'

Rana Sanaullah, adviser to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said the risk of a nuclear war weighed heavily during the India-Pakistan conflict.

Speaking to a local news channel, Sanaullah also pointed out that the country's military had less than a minute to analyse whether a BrahMos cruise missile fired by India on the Nur Khan airbase during Operation Sindoor could have a nuclear warhead.

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Attack on Nur Khan airbase

Sanaullah highlighted the nuclear threat that loomed over the India-Pakistan conflict following the attack by Pakistan-linked terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

"When India fired BrahMos at Nur Khan airbase, Pakistan's military had only 30-45 seconds to analyse whether the incoming missile may have a nuclear warhead. To decide anything on this in just 30 seconds was a dangerous situation," he told a Pakistani news channel.

India executed strikes on several Pakistani air bases during Operation Sindoor, damaging runways, hangars, and buildings, causing a massive blow to Pakistan. Satellite images confirmed extensive destruction at locations including Sargodha, Nur Khan (Chaklala), Bholari, Jacobabad, Sukkur, and Rahim Yar Khan.

Nur Khan is a major airbase of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Rawalpindi's Chaklala. It is located just 10 kilometres from Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad and is considered a critical military site.

Also Read: Quad ‘unequivocally’ condemns Pahalgam terror attack, urges justice for victims

Nuclear warhead threat

Sanaullah expressed concerns about potential misunderstandings leading to catastrophic consequences.

He said, "I am not saying that they did good by not using a nuclear warhead, but at the same time the people on this side could have misunderstood it also, leading to the launch of the first nuclear weapon that could spark a global nuclear war and you cannot imagine the destruction it could have caused."

Lauding US President Donald Trump for his role, he said, “US President Donald Trump played a role in the situation and saved the world from disaster. His role deserves independent recognition and appreciation. The Pakistan government and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has praised him for this.”

Also Read: Ready to hold meaningful dialogue with India, says Pak PM

Operation Sindoor

The Indian military destroyed multiple camps of terror groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen, and killed more than 100 terrorists during Operation Sindoor.

Following India's overnight operations, Pakistan retaliated with drones and missiles targeting western parts of India. However, these were successfully intercepted by Indian forces. In response, India struck selected military targets deep within Pakistani territory.

After four days of intense cross-border drone and missile exchanges, both countries reached a ceasefire agreement to immediately halt military actions.