Opinion | Echoes Of 'Sindoor': Threats, Drones And Pakistan's Strategic Strain |
By any measure, the fragile peace between India and Pakistan remains a house of cards. Just months after India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, which struck deep at terror infrastructure across the border, a new audio clip allegedly featuring Masood Azhar – the leader of the Jaish-e-Mohammed – has emerged.
In the clip, circulating on social media, Azhar boasts of “thousands" of suicide bombers poised to strike India – a chilling crescendo of rhetoric that has reignited concerns about militant intent and propaganda warfare.
But beyond the inflammatory words lies a deeper question: Can Pakistan really afford an escalation with India in the midst of its own unravelling internal security landscape?
There is no doubt that Masood Azhar is a figure of terror notoriety with a history of anti-India rhetoric and violent plot links.
The audio’s claim of massive suicide operative strength – if genuine – would be alarming. Yet responsible analysis must treat its authenticity with caution and consider its propaganda value.
After heavy losses to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) cadres during Operation Sindoor last year, such soundbites serve more as a psychological signal than verified operational intelligence. They are designed to project resilience and sow fear, not necessarily reflect battlefield truth.
Rhetoric, in modern conflict, is a weapon itself – shaped as much by the audience as by the adversary. In this sense, Azhar’s message resembles theatre more than threat, calibrated to reassure........