Last week marked the first anniversary of the Pakistan-India conflict, a four-day military confrontation that not only pushed the two nuclear-armed neighbours dangerously close to a wider war, but also altered regional perceptions about power, deterrence and strategic resilience. The crisis began after the Pahalgam attack in IIOJK. Within hours, the Indian media ecosystem and BJP leadership had effectively declared Pakistan guilty, even before any credible investigation could take place.

Islamabad, as it had done in previous crises, offered an independent and transparent international investigation into the incident. Pakistan maintained that allegations without evidence could further destabilise an already volatile region. But New Delhi rejected the proposal. Instead, on the night of May 6, India launched "Operation Sindoor," carrying out missile strikes inside Pakistani territory while claiming it was targeting terrorist infrastructure. The strikes marked a dangerous........

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