During the recent India-Pakistan conflict known as Operation Sindoor, a significant escalation occurred when India launched a BrahMos cruise missile that struck the Nur Khan Airbase near Islamabad, a critical and highly sensitive military facility for Pakistan.

This airbase is not only a hub for VVIP movements and military transport but is also located just a few kilometers from Pakistan’s nuclear command infrastructure, making it a strategic target.

Rana Sanaullah, special advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, revealed in an interview that the Pakistani military had only 30 to 45 seconds to assess whether the incoming BrahMos missile was armed with a nuclear warhead or not.

He described these moments as extremely dangerous, noting that any mis-judgment or misunderstanding in that brief window could have led to a catastrophic nuclear exchange between the two countries. According to Sanaullah:

“When India fired the BrahMos and it struck our Nur Khan airbase, the Pakistani leadership had just 30-45 seconds to determine if the missile carried a nuclear warhead. Making such a decision in 30 seconds is extremely dangerous.”

"I am not saying they did good by not using a nuclear warhead. But if people on this side misunderstood the situation, it could have led to an action from Pakistan or triggered one from India. Such a situation could have sparked a global nuclear war," Sanaullah added.

The panic and uncertainty among Pakistan’s leadership during those seconds underscored the high risk of nuclear miscalculation. Sanaullah emphasized that while the missile was conventionally armed, the ambiguity and proximity to Pakistan’s nuclear command could have easily triggered a nuclear response based on misinterpretation.

The incident occurred amid heightened tensions after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people and was attributed to Pakistan-based militants. India’s retaliatory Operation Sindoor targeted multiple Pakistani military and terror infrastructure sites, including several airbases such as Sargodha, Jacobabad, Murid, Rafiqui, and notably, Nur Khan.

Sanaullah also credited then-US President Donald Trump with playing a crucial role in mediating a ceasefire and de-escalating the situation. He stated that President Trump’s intervention was instrumental in preventing a full-scale war and that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif even nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in this crisis.

The BrahMos strike on Nur Khan Airbase was a turning point in the conflict, exposing the fragility of nuclear stability in South Asia and the immense pressure on decision-makers during such high-stakes incidents. The episode highlighted both the dangers of rapid escalation and the importance of international mediation in averting disaster.

Agencies