‘Not a child’s play’: Pakistan president Zardari claims India was forced to reconsider war

India and Pakistan’s already fragile relationship has witnessed renewed strain, with sharp rhetoric from Pakistan’s political and military leadership further heightening tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Recent months have seen a series of aggressive statements from senior Pakistani officials, coinciding with rising diplomatic friction, cross-border security concerns and unresolved territorial disputes.

The latest escalation came as Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari launched a verbal attack on India while commemorating the death anniversary of his late wife and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. During his address, Zardari referred to recent remarks by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on managing bilateral relations and issued a pointed warning to New Delhi in the context of the military confrontation between the two countries in May this year.

Zardari claimed that India was unable to sustain pressure for even four days during the standoff, asserting that Pakistan’s response had forced New Delhi to reassess the consequences of conflict. His remarks, however, stood in contrast to assessments circulating globally, including satellite imagery and video evidence, which showed extensive damage to Pakistani military assets following Indian strikes.

According to these reports, multiple Pakistani air bases were hit, several fighter jets were downed and significant casualties were inflicted on Pakistani forces during the hostilities.

Praising Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Zardari said the military leadership had taken a firm stand against what he described as Indian aggression. He claimed that Pakistan’s resolute posture made India realise that war was “not a child’s play,” and alleged that Prime Minister Modi had come to understand that warfare demands courage, resolve and sacrifice.

The Pakistani President portrayed Field Marshal Munir as a decisive leader who had safeguarded Pakistan’s sovereignty at a critical moment. He credited the army chief with delivering a “strong response” to India and protecting the country’s constitutional framework, while asserting that Pakistan’s leadership and stance were now being recognised internationally. Zardari even claimed that former US President Donald Trump had praised Munir’s leadership — a statement that has not been independently verified.

Zardari further alleged that Indian political leadership had become aware of Pakistan’s internal unity, claiming that party workers and supporters were prepared to take up arms and make sacrifices if required. Rejecting the “roti or bullet” narrative, he said Pakistan possessed the strength to retaliate “by any means possible,” suggesting that economic constraints would not deter the country from defending itself.

While India was not explicitly named in some of his remarks, Zardari repeatedly questioned the resolve of what he described as a larger and wealthier adversary, claiming that the other side could not sustain a prolonged conflict despite projecting strength.

India, for its part, has maintained that its actions were a calibrated and proportionate response to terrorism. New Delhi has stated that Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, targeted terror infrastructure following the Pahalgam terror attack, underlining that its objective was deterrence rather than escalation.