Operation Sindoor - 'Their army could be out of fuel in 4 days': Shashi Tharoor's jibe at Pakistan, says dialogue unlikely in near future

After India's Operation Sindoor shook Pakistan, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday made a huge claim that the Pakistan Army could be out of fuel in the next 4 days. Amping up his attack on Pakistan, he said that this is not an Army prepared for a long war with India.

Indian forces conducted missile strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan, targeting Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba bases.

Commenting on reports suggesting logistical strain in the Pakistani Army, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, told India Today TV in an interview: "Their army could be out of fuel in 4 days. It's not exactly a country prepared for a long war with India. I would hope that common sense will prevail." 

Tharoor further commented that Islamabad's threats were more about saving face in front of the Pakistani public instead of genuine intent. "They can say these things, but what they actually do is what will determine the next steps." 

He further said that India has shown restraint by retaliating only in kind to Pakistani shelling at the Line of Control (LoC), which has killed over 10 civilians on the Indian side.

While strongly backing the Indian armed forces, the former UN diplomat said that India hit 'legitimate targets' as part of a series of precision strikes under the codename Operation Sindoor. 

“It was extremely well done. India hit legitimate targets—nine terrorist launch pads and well-known headquarters like Muridke, which everyone knows is the LeT base,” he said. 

He further mentioned that India's deliberate choice to avoid Pakistani government or military installations as well as the decision to strike at night in a bid to reduce civilian casualties was "a very sensible thing to do". 

When asked whether Operation Sindoor would act as a deterrent for Pakistan, Tharoor said: "For now, the point has been effectively made." 

He, however, also acknowledged that a dialogue with Pakistan is unlikely soon. “We’ll probably go back to that sort of bristling hostility short of war.”

The 25-minute operation left over 80 terrorists dead, including 25–30 at major sites like Bahawalpur and Muridke, following the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

Operation Sindoor, executed early Wednesday, swiftly neutralised threats from banned outfits, marking a significant retaliatory strike. The attacks on key sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) underscore ongoing tensions and the targeted dismantling of terror infrastructure.