In the second phase of Operation Sindoor, the Indian Army launched a barrage of drone attacks on Lahore, Karachi, and other major cities of Pakistan, striking Pakistan’s air defence systems on May 8. Pakistan’s government put on a brave face with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif vowing to retaliate and claiming to have downed scores of drones and jets belonging to the Indian Army.

In the run-up to Operation Sindoor, Pakistanis laughed off military action and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, making self-deprecating jokes and memes.

We scanned through hundreds of social media posts from X to Facebook to Reddit to gauge the nation’s mood right now. What we found betrays the panic behind the government’s bravado.

We found that Pakistanis are accusing their own government of misleading them about India’s strike near Rawalpindi Stadium.

Indian airstrikes in the last two days have sparked a discussion among Pakistanis on social media, especially Reddit, about stockpiling food, fearing more strikes.

While the Pakistani government claims to give “proportionate” replies and down Indian drones and jets, its citizens discuss the possibility of de-escalation, wondering when all of this will be over.

Citizens of Islamabad, in panic, asked if they should stay put or leave their homes as air raid warning sirens go off.

Expressing anger over Indian drones and rockets reaching major cities, Pakistanis also questioned the efficiency of its defence systems, the neutralising capabilities of which are otherwise boasted by the army.

Going a step further, one Pakistani Reddit user even suggested that Pakistan should move on instead of retaliating against the Indian Army’s attacks for the sake of its people.

Another Pakistani citizen went ahead and praised the Indian army for precisely hitting the 22 targets that it had set out to, during Operation Sindoor.

Some citizens also discussed how the Pakistan Army assumed control of several routes, and listed out areas that the citizens must evacuate while carrying essential medications and their Computerised National Identity Cards with them.

Apart from a few districts bordering India, educational institutions across the country are reportedly functioning normally. However, several examinations were cancelled in Lahore, Punjab, and other locations across Pakistan owing to the ongoing tension, which became a talking point.

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