Pakistan admits role in Pulwama attack as military official calls it ‘Tactical Brilliance’

Pakistan has openly acknowledged its involvement in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

The statement, made during a press briefing on May 8, marks the first time a senior Pakistani military official has publicly accepted responsibility, despite Islamabad’s years of vehement denials.

Speaking at the media interaction, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, who currently serves as the Director General of Public Relations for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), referred to the Pulwama incident as an act of “tactical brilliance.” His remarks, delivered in the presence of international and local media, have shattered Pakistan's long-maintained stance of non-involvement.

“We tried to tell them with our tactical brilliance in Pulwama...,” said Ahmed, standing alongside DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and a representative from the Pakistan Navy.

The admission comes amid rising scrutiny over the April 22 Pahalgam attack and India’s precise and calibrated military response, Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure across the Line of Control. While Pakistan has continued to maintain that it seeks evidence from India regarding such incidents, Ahmed’s comments directly contradict that posture and seemingly tie the two attacks together.

"If Pakistan's airspace, land, waters, or its people are threatened, there can be no compromise. It cannot go unnoticed. We owe it to our nation. The pride and trust the Pakistani people have in their armed forces is something we always uphold, at all costs. We tried to convey that through our tactical brilliance in Pulwama; now, we have demonstrated our operational progress and strategic acumen. I believe they should take heed," Ahmed stated during the press conference.

Notably, Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who accompanied the air marshal, is the son of controversial nuclear scientist Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood — a figure infamously known for his links with al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden and for attempting to transfer nuclear technology to terrorist groups. Mahmood remains listed under the UN Security Council’s al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.

The Pulwama attack, which occurred on February 14, 2019, involved a suicide bomber from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Adil Ahmad Dar, who rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy. Despite JeM openly claiming responsibility, Pakistan repeatedly dismissed India’s allegations, calling them baseless and demanding more evidence. At the time, Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Imran Khan termed the incident “a matter of grave concern” while denying any military or intelligence connection to the attack.

India later presented a detailed dossier establishing links between Dar and JeM, whose key training facility in Bahawalpur — the Subhan Allah camp — was obliterated by Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor. This retaliatory operation, involving 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets, targeted terror camps in Balakot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and was seen as a decisive message against cross-border terrorism.

The conflict escalated into an aerial skirmish between the two nations, resulting in the downing and subsequent capture of Indian Air Force pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. He was released shortly thereafter as tensions soared between New Delhi and Islamabad.

While no formal admission has ever been made by the civilian government in Islamabad regarding Pulwama, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed’s televised remarks appear to have done what international pressure and evidence could not — a public confirmation from within the Pakistani military establishment itself.