'Paap ka ye ghada...': DGMO Lieutenant on Pahalgam attack, evolving character of terrorist activities

Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai’s comments came at the Armed Forces' joint briefing on Operation Sindoor

Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai on Monday highlighted the evolving face of terrorism in recent years.

"In the last few years, the character of terrorist activities have changed. Innocent civilians were being attacked.. Pahalgam tak paap ka ye ghada bhar chuka tha...," Ghai said while addressing the media briefing on Operation Sindoor.

Top Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs)and senior Navy and Air Force officers held a press conference on Monday to provide further details about Operation Sindoo, including how India targeted key Pakistani installations and aircraft in retaliatory moves.

#WATCH | Delhi | DGMO Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai says, "In the last few years, the character of terrorist activities have changed. Innocent civilians were being attacked.. 'Pahalgam tak paap ka ye ghada bhar chuka tha'..." pic.twitter.com/Nr21vVKSTo

ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2025

Ghai said targetting Indian airfields and logistics is way too tough. "I saw that Virat Kohli has just retired from test cricket; he is one of my favourites. In the 1970s, during the Ashes between Australia and England, two Australian bowlers destroyed the batting lineup of England, and then Australia gave a proverb - Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, if Thommo don't get ya, Lillee must". If you see the layers, you'll understand what I am trying to say. Even if you crossed all the layers, one of the layers of this grid system will hit you," he said.

DG Air Operations Air Marshal AK Bharti said that they have targeted the length and breadth of the adversary. The video of the Rahimyar Khan airbase strike was also displayed. “All our military bases and systems continue to be fully operational," he said.

Responding to a question on whether India hit Pakistan’s nuclear storage site, AK Bharti said, “Thank you for telling us that Pakistan has stored its nuclear weapons at Kirana Hills, whatever is there. We did not hit Kirana Hills. It was not on the list of the targets we told you we hit."

Social media has been abuzz with chatter around how India may have hit Kirana Hills in Pakistan, which is close to the Sargodha Air Base.

He also said the indigenous Akash system delivered stellar performance during military action. "Our battle-tested systems proved their worth in actual combat conditions. The indigenous Akash air defense system demonstrated exceptional performance. The robust air defense infrastructure we've established is a direct result of the government's sustained budgetary and policy support over the past decade," he said.

Bharti also said all military bases and systems of India continue to remain fully operational and is  ready to undertake any future missions should the need arrive.