A year ago today: Islamabad turns the tables on New Delhi as de-escalation efforts reach fever pitch

The week of May 6 - May 10 marks the first anniversary of the brief military conflict between Pakistan and India.

The conflict was sparked by the April 22 Pahalgam attack on tourists in India-occupied Kashmir, which New Delhi, without evidence, linked to Pakistan.

In a dangerous escalation, New Delhi launched deadly air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir on May 7. Pakistan retaliated by downing five Indian planes in air-to-air combat, later raising the tally to seven.

Following tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, and the launch of Pakistan Army’s Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, both sides agreed to a ceasefire on May 10 after American intervention.

The Pakistan Army named the period of conflict from April 22-May 10 “Marka-i-Haq”.

Throughout the week, Dawn will be sharing daily headlines from the brief conflict when tensions between both countries reached a boiling point.

Here’s a look at Dawn’s front page published on May 8, 2025.