‘Not hit Kirana Hills,’ say Indian Armed Forces. Where is it located in Pakistan? Why is it important?

India-Pakistan conflict: India's Director General of Air Operations (DGAO), Air Marshal AK Bharti, on Monday, 12 May, confirmed that the Indian armed forces did not target the nuclear facility at Kirana Hills in Pakistan.

Responding to a reporter's question at a special press conference of Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) in the national capital, Air Marshal Bharti remarked, “Thank you for telling us that Kirana Hills houses some nuclear installation. We did not know about it. And we have not hit Kirana Hills, whatever is there.”

Air Marshal Bharti's comments came amid widespread speculation and social media claims suggesting that India had struck Pakistan’s Mushaf Airbase in Sargodha, which is allegedly connected to an underground nuclear storage in the Kirana Hills.

Where is Kirana Hills?

The Kirana Hills is a vast rocky mountain range and a designated area under Pakistan's Ministry of Defence in Sargodha district of the country's Punjab province. Locally referred to as the “Black Mountains” due to its brownish terrain, it stretches between the township of Rabwah and the city of Sargodha, forming part of the Mushaf Air Force Base.

Military importance of Kirana Hills

In the 1970s, Pakistan's Ministry of Defense took control of the Kirana Hills, transforming the rugged terrain into a pivotal hub for radar operations and weapons testing. Over time, the site became deeply embedded in the country's nuclear research efforts. According to a blog report, the area continues to serve strategic military purposes and hosts an active Pakistan Air Force radar station.

Kirana Hills history

Reportedly, the Kirana Hills, whose origins trace back to British-era geological surveys, have long intrigued scientists and strategists alike. While initially studied by colonial geologists for their unique rock formations, the hills gained prominence in the 1970s, when Pakistan’s Army Corps of Engineers began began using them for military and nuclear research purposes.

By the 1980s and 1990s, the site had become central to Pakistan’s defense ambitions, hosting subcritical nuclear tests and cementing its status as a vital location for Pakistan's defence strategies.

India's retaliatory strikes; Operation Sindoor

At a joint press briefing on Sunday, Air Marshal Bharti revealed visual proof showcasing the extensive destruction inflicted on Pakistani air defence systems, military airfields, and other strategic sites.

India’s retaliatory strikes followed Pakistan’s attempted targeting of 26 Indian locations, including air force bases in Udhampur, Pathankot, and Adampur, on the night of May 9–10.

India's counteraction came under the codename ‘Operation Sindoor’, launched on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists.