Emerging from assessments linked to Operation Sindoor have reignited debate over Pakistan’s battlefield tactics along the Line of Control and beyond. A source-based report accessed by Times Now examines deployments during Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan um Marsoos.
As per the document, the Pakistan Army repeatedly positioned military infrastructure inside civilian-populated areas, including villages, schools, residential localities and civilian airports. The claims, supported by location references, imagery assessments and open-source visual material, point towards what analysts describe as a long-observed operational pattern rather than an isolated wartime measure.
Pakistan Wanted to Make Retaliatory Targeting Difficult
The strategy appears designed to achieve two parallel objectives. First, embedding military assets near civilian concentrations complicates retaliatory targeting by raising the risk of collateral damage.Second, in the event of a strike, any civilian casualties or structural destruction can potentially be leveraged for diplomatic messaging, information warfare and international narrative shaping.
Indian security analysts have, for years, accused Pakistan’s military establishment of using such tactics intermittently along the LoC, particularly during periods of escalated cross-border activity.
The allegations gain significance because they come in the backdrop of the post-Pahalgam Attack escalation cycle and the wider security developments surrounding Operation Sindoor Anniversary discussions. The report argues that several deployments during May 2025 were not merely defensive military placements but operational launch points embedded deliberately within civilian environments.
Drone Launch Sites, Civil Airports And Village-Based Fire Positions
Among the most serious allegations is the claimed use of civilian infrastructure for drone-launch operations on the nights of May 8 and 9, 2025. Intelligence suggests that multiple drone sorties directed towards India originated from or near civilian-populated areas. Locations cited include Sialkot International Airport, launch infrastructure near a Government Girls High School in Jandrot in Kotli district of PoJK, and another site at Padhar in Havelian district.
Intel further alleges that Mai Bhakhtawar International Civil Airport at Islamkot was used as a drone operations hub by the Pakistani military during the conflict phase. Analysts tracking open-source battlefield imagery argue that the use of civilian aviation facilities in active military roles carries serious implications under the laws governing armed conflict. “Such dual-use deployments blur distinctions between civilian and military infrastructure, increasing risks for surrounding populations during escalation cycles,” Capt SB Tyagi (Retd) told Times Now.
Civilian Structures Complicate Precision Engagement
The report also references the deployment of the Chinese-origin SH-15 Mounted Gun System, which Pakistan inducted in recent years as part of its artillery modernisation programme. One alleged firing position was identified in Bareela Sharif village on May 8, 2025. Videos circulated online appeared to show the artillery system positioned inside a populated settlement while conducting active firing missions.
Another SH-15 deployment was reportedly observed near the Rawalakot Advance Landing Ground, from where firing towards Indian civilian areas in Poonch district was allegedly conducted.
Military observers note that such deployments are tactically advantageous in rugged border sectors because civilian structures and dense habitations complicate surveillance and precision engagement. At the same time, they dramatically increase civilian vulnerability during counterstrikes.
Rocket Systems Near Civilians Raise Wider Concerns
Additionally, the dossier points to the deployment of Pakistan’s FATAH series rocket system inside populated zones in Shakargarh. Viral social media footage cited in the report showed civilians gathered near launch platforms during firing activity. Positioning long-range rocket systems inside villages exposes residents to severe risk, particularly if the launch sites are identified and engaged during active conflict.
India’s Operation Response: Ethics and Tactics
Defence sources familiar with developments during Indian Army Operation Sindoor response assessments maintain that Indian forces exercised restraint while selecting targets during the escalation phase. According to Capt Tyagi, several locations were avoided because of the density of civilian presence despite evidence of military activity nearby.
That distinction forms a central part of the emerging narrative battle around the conflict. While India sought to maintain operational separation between civilian and military targets, Pakistan’s deployment patterns intentionally collapsed that distinction. Beyond the immediate military implications, the dossier revives broader legal and ethical questions surrounding the conduct of conflict in densely populated environments.
