Operation Sindoor: Samaa TV Reports 138 Pakistani Soldiers Killed by Indian Army

In an era where information spreads instantly across borders, suppressing uncomfortable truths has become nearly impossible—no matter how tightly one tries to control it. A striking example: Pakistan’s recent attempt to conceal its military losses during Operation Sindoor. Operation Sindoor was India’s precision strike on May 6–7 targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack

On 14 August, Pakistan’s Independence Day, Samaa TV published an article listing the names of 138 Pakistani personnel, each suffixed with “shaheed” (“martyr”), who had been posthumously awarded for their roles during Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos, Pakistan’s counteroffensive in response to the India’s Operation Sindoor.

Award breakdown (all posthumously):

• 4 received the Tamgha-e-Jurat
• 1 was awarded the Sitara-e-Basalat
• 4 got the Tamgha-e-Basalat
• 129 received the Imtiazi Sanad

Soon after publication, the article vanished, but not before Archive.org captured it, allowing public access to the list. Some reports suggest the number may be even higher. A version of the Samaa list referenced 155 personnel marked as “shaheed”, including:

• 146 Imtiazi Sanad recipients
• 45 Tamgha-e-Basalat, with 4 posthumous
• 1 Sitara-e-Basalat posthumous
• 4 of 5 Tamgha-e-Jurat awarded posthumously

These figures, whether 138 or 155, point to a far heavier loss than officially acknowledged by Pakistan. The swift removal of the awards list reflects Pakistan’s sensitivity to public perception. Attempting to celebrate valor while downplaying losses can backfire, especially when archives and social media hold the mirror up.

Here are the names from Samaa TV’s list: