Silent Shield of the 88-Hour War: Brigadier (R) Haris Nawaz Breaks Down Pakistan Army's Strategic Role in Marka-e-Haq

RAWALPINDI - As Pakistan marked the first anniversary of the 88-hour conflict with India, defense analyst and retired Pakistan Army officer Brigadier Haris Nawaz has provided a rare doctrinal breakdown of the Army's role in what is now commemorated as Marka-e-Haq (The Battle of Truth).

While much of the public attention has focused on the Pakistan Air Force's aerial victories, Brigadier Nawaz argues that the Pakistan Army functioned as the "strategic backbone and final guarantor of sovereignty" throughout the four-day war in May 2025.

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"To understand the outcome-specifically how Pakistan achieved its political objectives and forced a ceasefire-one must look beyond the Air Force's kill chain and examine the Army's role in ground-based air defense, electronic warfare, strategic deception, and nuclear deterrence management," he wrote in a detailed analysis.

The Anti-Access/Area Denied Shield

According to the retired brigadier, while the PAF engaged enemy fighter jets, the Army Air Defence (AAD) was the "silent hero" of the conflict, specifically tasked with neutralizing the drone swarm threat-a challenge Pakistan had anticipated and prepared for years in advance.

"Over three nights, Pakistan employed a layered ground-based air defense system consisting of Chinese HQ-16 and HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles, automated anti-aircraft guns, and electronic warfare assets," Brigadier Nawaz explained.

He claimed that in the first 48 hours alone, the Army's Integrated Air Defense Command intercepted hundreds of Indian loitering munitions, including Harop and Harpy drones.

Perhaps most critically, the brigadier revealed that the Army utilized sophisticated decoys and electronic spoofing tactics. "The Indian Air Force expended significant long-range missiles on dummy targets, depleting their precision inventories without degrading our defensive grid," he stated.

Electronic Overwatch and Tactical Deception

Brigadier Nawaz addressed what he called a "misunderstood aspect" of the war-the strike on the Bholari Air Base hangar that housed Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C aircraft.

"Damage to infrastructure does not equate to loss of capability," he asserted. "By the time the enemy managed to damage a specific hangar, the strategic data had already been disseminated. Within weeks, the Pakistan Army had inducted mobile ground-based radar systems to supplement airborne surveillance."

The Artillery Battle on the Line of Control

While the Air Force dominated headlines, the Army on the Line of Control functioned as the nation's shield. Between April 26 and May 10, the Pakistan Army utilized what Brigadier Nawaz termed a "firepower management strategy."

"We did not engage in indiscriminate shelling; rather, we responded with calibrated precision to Indian aggression," he said.

The brigadier highlighted the role of newly inducted SH-15 howitzers and long-range rockets in serving a dual purpose: targeting Indian forward brigade headquarters to paralyze their decision-making, and destroying Indian artillery pieces that attempted to fire into civilian populations in the Narowal and Sialkot sectors.

Nuclear Brinkmanship: The Red Line

The retired officer described the management of nuclear deterrence as the "most critical role of the Pakistan Army" during the conflict-what he termed "strategic stability."

On May 10, as the Indian Air Force attempted deep strikes targeting Sargodha and other PAF bases, the Pakistan Army placed its ground-launched cruise missiles (Babur) and ballistic missiles (Shaheen) on readiness alert.

"Indian analysts claim that Pakistan 'blinked' by requesting a ceasefire," Brigadier Nawaz said. "However, having served in command capacities, I can state with authority that the Indian decision not to cross the international border with ground forces was a direct result of our credible nuclear deterrent."

He added that by mobilizing the National Command Authority, Pakistan signaled to Washington and New Delhi that any attempt to degrade the Pakistan Army as a fighting force would cross the nuclear threshold. "This political-military coordination forced the US administration to apply immediate pressure on India to halt their offensive."

Operation Bunyanum Marsoos

The brigadier rejected what he called "propaganda" around India's Operation Sindoor, pointing instead to Pakistan's counter-offensive: Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.

"Within hours of Indian strikes on May 10, Pakistan's retaliatory missiles struck at least five targets inside India, including ammunition depots and radar facilities in Punjab and Jammu," he claimed.

He argued that the ground reality forced a ceasefire because "India realized that its 'punitive strikes' would not remain unanswered."

Conclusion

Brigadier Nawaz concluded that the 88-hour war ended in a strategic stalemate that "heavily favored Pakistan's defensive asymmetry."

"We absorbed the initial shock, destroyed the enemy through layered air defense systems, managed the nuclear escalation ladder, and forced a ceasefire on terms that preserved our strategic assets," he wrote.

"The next war, if it happens, will not be 88 hours. But if it comes, the Pakistan Army remains the bedrock of national defense-capable, deterring, and unyielding."

The analysis adds to a growing body of military scholarship examining the brief but intense conflict, which saw both nations exchange air strikes, missile barrages, and drone operations before a US-brokered ceasefire took effect on May 10, 2025.