Hastily Deployed Camouflage at Key Airbases
Islamabad is scrambling to conceal the aftermath of precision airstrikes launched by India on May 10, with satellite imagery revealing hurried restoration efforts at three major Pakistani airbases—Murid, Jacobabad, and Bholari. Analysts observing fresh satellite overlays from June 4, particularly those studied by India Today and Dhaka-based experts, note the extensive use of blue tarpaulin, makeshift materials, and netting to cover bomb-damaged infrastructure.
Visible Damage Despite Concealment
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Bholari Air Base shows a striking attempt at disguise, where a damaged hangar roof has been crudely draped in sun-bleached, prefab sheeting intended to mimic the surrounding concrete.
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At Jacobabad, home to multiple squadrons of F-16 fighter jets, repair crews have cleared debris and installed patchy canvas panels. Despite this, high-resolution July images still expose dented blast walls and missing radar domes.
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The Murid facility presents the most revealing evidence of a high-value strike. A three-meter-wide crater, likely near a command installation, has been covered with grey netting—an indication of targeted damage to strategic infrastructure.
India’s Response and Pakistan’s Denial
While Pakistan denounces the strikes as a violation of sovereignty, several analysts interpret them as retaliation for an April terror attack in Pahalgam. India’s Ministry of External Affairs, through spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, dismissed Islamabad’s counter-claims, saying:
“This is yet another example of Pakistan’s longstanding practice of fabricating victories.”
Despite official denial, leaked military tenders seeking repairs at Rawalpindi and Risalpur validate the extent of the destruction.
Satellite Firms Capture Ongoing Restoration
Imagery from Maxar Technologies highlights ongoing efforts to restore the damaged airstrips. Work crews, clearly visible on satellite passes, appear to be jerry-rigging affected areas using bright blue tarps, suggesting a quick-fix approach aimed at international observers more than long-term recovery.
Strategic estimates now indicate that the Indian pre-dawn strike in February may have crippled up to 20% of Pakistan’s air force infrastructure and reportedly caused the death of over 50 personnel, including Squadron Leader Usman Yousuf.
The Camouflage Strategy: Buying Time or Hiding Losses?
Analysts say the use of tarp coverings may be as much about deception as damage control—a bid to prevent intelligence gathering by foreign powers, especially the United States and India. According to geo-intelligence analyst Damien Symon,
“The visual indicators of damage remain, masked but not restored.”
Conclusion: The ‘Parde Mein Rehne Do’ Doctrine
The concealment has drawn parallels to the Bollywood phrase, “Parde mein rehne do”—“Let it stay behind the veil.” Yet, far from cinematic, the camouflage reeks of desperation, not diplomacy. Operation Sindoor, as the strike is being unofficially dubbed, has shifted the balance of posturing in the region. While Islamabad’s efforts might win it a few weeks of narrative control, experts warn:
“The truth is already burnt into every pixel.”