India’s military action after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack set off alarms at the highest levels of the leadership in Pakistan, including President Asif Ali Zardari who has revealed that he was advised to take shelter in a bunker when the strikes started during the escalation in May. Speaking at a public event on Saturday, Zardari said his Military Secretary warned him that war had begun as Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. “My Military Secretary came to me and said, ‘Sir, the war has started. Let’s go to the bunkers,’” Zardari said, adding that he refused to follow his secretary’s advice.&nbsp;India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting Pakistani military installations after earlier operations struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Officials described the strikes as precise and limited, aimed at destroying terror infrastructure and deterring further attacks. Irked by the precision strikes, Pakistan also intensified cross-border shelling. The situation raised fears of a wider military confrontation between the two countries.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/-extremists-are-using-yunus-sheikh-hasina-s-big-statement-amid-violent-unrest-in-bangladesh-killing-of-minorities-1766905009350">'Extremists are using Yunus...': Sheikh Hasina's BIG statement amid violent unrest in Bangladesh, killing of minorities</a>&nbsp;Zardari’s comment is a rare public acknowledgement of the concern within Pakistan’s top leadership about their own security during the crisis.&nbsp;The hostilities eased after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart to propose a ceasefire. India accepted the proposal.The outreach from the Pakistani side was later confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who said both countries agreed to stop all military operations on land, at sea and in the air.The May strikes marked one of the most serious military confrontations between India and Pakistan in recent years before the ceasefire took effect.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-op-sindoor-maha-kumbh-to-shubhanshu-shukla-s-space-mission-pm-modi-hails-india-s-achievements-in-2025-1766911218309">From Op Sindoor, Maha Kumbh to Shubhanshu Shukla’s space mission: PM Modi hails India’s achievements in 2025</a><h2>‘Even Asim Munir was inside the bunker when India attacked’</h2>&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> | Chandigarh: Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon says, &quot;Asif Ali Zardari is Mr 10% of Pakistan. He has a black past and is the most corrupt politician. That&#39;s why they have put him in a corner and made him a President who has no say... Even Asim Munir was inside the bunker when… <a href="https://t.co/ScWfzBgkpz">https://t.co/ScWfzBgkpz</a> <a href="https://t.co/kEpUdIyJ5i">pic.twitter.com/kEpUdIyJ5i</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2005187380882645370?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

&nbsp;Reacting to Zardari’s statement, Lt Gen (Retd) KJS Dhillon told ANI, “Asif Ali Zardari is Mr 10% of Pakistan. He has a black past and is the most corrupt politician. That’s why they have put him in a corner and made him a President who has no say... Even Asim Munir was inside the bunker when India attacked. All the political leadership, all the military commanders, were in the bunkers. Only their soldiers were fighting it out, and they got killed. Even this is a lie that he knew it 4 days in advance. If they knew it four days in advance, why couldn’t they stop a single missile from hitting nine targets? If a four-day warning was given to the military and they could do nothing, it only shows their military is useless...”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-israel-europe-waging-a-total-war-on-our-country-iran-president-masoud-pezeshkian-1766857358756">US, Israel, Europe waging a ‘total war’ on our country: Iran President Masoud Pezeshkian</a>

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s comment is a rare public acknowledgement of the concern within Pakistan’s top leadership about their own security during the military escalation after Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor in May.

India’s military action after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack set off alarms at the highest levels of the leadership in Pakistan, including President Asif Ali Zardari who has revealed that he was advised to take shelter in a bunker when the strikes started during the escalation in May. Speaking at a public event on Saturday, Zardari said his Military Secretary warned him that war had begun as Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, launched in retaliation to the killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. “My Military Secretary came to me and said, ‘Sir, the war has started. Let’s go to the bunkers,’” Zardari said, adding that he refused to follow his secretary’s advice. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting Pakistani military installations after earlier operations struck nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Officials described the strikes as precise and limited, aimed at destroying terror infrastructure and deterring further attacks. Irked by the precision strikes, Pakistan also intensified cross-border shelling. The situation raised fears of a wider military confrontation between the two countries. Also Read: 'Extremists are using Yunus...': Sheikh Hasina's BIG statement amid violent unrest in Bangladesh, killing of minorities Zardari’s comment is a rare public acknowledgement of the concern within Pakistan’s top leadership about their own security during the crisis. The hostilities eased after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted his Indian counterpart to propose a ceasefire. India accepted the proposal. The outreach from the Pakistani side was later confirmed by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who said both countries agreed to stop all military operations on land, at sea and in the air. The May strikes marked one of the most serious military confrontations between India and Pakistan in recent years before the ceasefire took effect. Also Read: From Op Sindoor, Maha Kumbh to Shubhanshu Shukla’s space mission: PM Modi hails India’s achievements in 2025 ‘Even Asim Munir was inside the bunker when India attacked’

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s comment is a rare public acknowledgement of the concern within Pakistan’s top leadership about their own security during the military escalation after Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes under Operation Sindoor in May.

Pak President Zardari was told to rush inside bunker when Operation Sindoor strikes started

In a rare diplomatic gesture, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari was granted access to one of China’s most secure military facilities — the headquarters of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Zardari is the first foreign head of state to receive such a tour, during which he explored China’s latest advancements in military aviation and defence technologies.&nbsp;During his visit to AVIC on Sunday (September 14), Zardari received detailed briefings on a wide array of defence capabilities, including the J-10 fighter aircraft, the collaborative JF-17 Thunder program with Pakistan, and developments in the J-20 stealth fighter jet. The tour also covered cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems, fully automated combat platforms, and integrated command-and-control frameworks designed for multi-domain warfare.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-presses-15-billion-defamation-lawsuit-on-new-york-times-days-after-epstein-link-article-1758000090875">Donald Trump presses $15 billion defamation lawsuit on New York Times days after Epstein-link article</a>&nbsp;While the Chinese Foreign Ministry downplayed the visit’s military implications, it instead highlighted Zardari’s support for the Global Security Initiative (GSI) — Beijing’s strategic vision presented as an alternative to Western-led security frameworks. Zardari’s 10-day official visit comes shortly after the end of cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan, triggered by the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Both countries agreed to de-escalate by May 10, but the conflict revealed serious vulnerabilities in Pakistan's defence systems.&nbsp;Zardari’s AVIC tour follows a series of high-level Pakistan-China engagements, including recent visits by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir. The Pakistani leadership is believed to be exploring replenishment and upgrade options for its military assets, many of which were sourced from China and used during the brief conflict with India.&nbsp;According to SIPRI, over 80% of Pakistan’s military equipment is supplied by China — a reliance that continues to shape defence cooperation between the two countries. Zardari was joined by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari during the AVIC visit. His trip began on September 12, shortly after Sharif and Munir attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pakistan President Zardari visits China’s secret defence military facility amid Indo-Pacific tensions

In a rare diplomatic gesture, Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari was granted access to one of China’s most secure military facilities — the headquarters of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Zardari is the first foreign head of state to receive such a tour, during which he explored China’s latest advancements in military aviation and defence technologies. During his visit to AVIC on Sunday (September 14), Zardari received detailed briefings on a wide array of defence capabilities, including the J-10 fighter aircraft, the collaborative JF-17 Thunder program with Pakistan, and developments in the J-20 stealth fighter jet. The tour also covered cutting-edge unmanned aerial systems, fully automated combat platforms, and integrated command-and-control frameworks designed for multi-domain warfare. Also Read: Donald Trump presses $15 billion defamation lawsuit on New York Times days after Epstein-link article While the Chinese Foreign Ministry downplayed the visit’s military implications, it instead highlighted Zardari’s support for the Global Security Initiative (GSI) — Beijing’s strategic vision presented as an alternative to Western-led security frameworks. Zardari’s 10-day official visit comes shortly after the end of cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan, triggered by the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, striking terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Both countries agreed to de-escalate by May 10, but the conflict revealed serious vulnerabilities in Pakistan's defence systems. Zardari’s AVIC tour follows a series of high-level Pakistan-China engagements, including recent visits by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir. The Pakistani leadership is believed to be exploring replenishment and upgrade options for its military assets, many of which were sourced from China and used during the brief conflict with India. According to SIPRI, over 80% of Pakistan’s military equipment is supplied by China — a reliance that continues to shape defence cooperation between the two countries. Zardari was joined by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari during the AVIC visit. His trip began on September 12, shortly after Sharif and Munir attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari toured China’s secret military hub AVIC, discussing deeper defence ties after Pakistan’s losses in Operation Sindoor

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Pak President Zardari was told to rush inside bunker when Operation Sindoor strikes started

Pakistan President Zardari visits China’s secret defence military facility