The US did not just take control of the Nur Khan base but also operated out of two other Pakistani airfields, Jacobabad and Pasni.

Former Pakistan Lieutenant General Shahid Azeez said in an old interview that Pakistani troops were not even allowed to enter their own bases, which remained under American control during the post 9/11 war on terror. He said President Pervez Musharraf had allowed the Americans access to the bases despite opposition from army commanders. He said Pakistan had decided to stay neutral in the war.

When asked if he supported the decision to let Americans use Pakistani airbases, Azeez said no one supported it. He recalled one occasion when the President came, it was not a Corps Commanders Conference, but whenever he visited GHQ, the Vice Chief CGS, DGMO, DGMI, and sometimes the DG ISPR were present. A few officers from the Military Operations Directorate who worked on the presentations also joined.

He said the President brought up the issue in that meeting. The President said America had requested permission to use the Jacobabad airfield and that if any of their jets were hit, they wanted to land there to save the pilot's life. Everyone present opposed it. They reminded the President that he had originally committed to complete neutrality in the war. They said they had supported everything on that understanding.

Azeez said the President still faced significant opposition, but told them I have already given my commitment to the US. Azeez said that four or five of them, including himself, warned that allowing American jets to land and take off from Pakistani airports would be a big mistake. The President said I am granting this permission purely on humanitarian grounds and I have already granted it.

Azeez said that some time later, a message came from the President's House asking for troops to be sent to Jacobabad airport for security. When they sent the troops, they reported back that the Americans had already taken control of the Jacobabad airfield and did not allow them to enter.

He said they deployed their security perimeter outside the American one. Later, they found out that jets were coming and going from the airfield on a daily basis.

Azeez also said that later, through private contacts, he found out that the Pasni airfield had also been under American control from the beginning. He said he had not known this before. An Air Force officer posted as the liaison officer at Pasni told him. The officer also said that the PAF had a liaison officer in Jacobabad as well and that both used to exchange visits.

According to a report by the Indian Defence Research Wing, the Jacobabad Airfield, also called Shahbaz Airbase, served as the home of the No. 5 Squadron, which flies F-16 fighter jets. The airfield also served as a forward operating base for Pakistani and allied forces, including Americans.

Jacobabad is a tribal area with a strong presence of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, which opposed US policies in Afghanistan.

A Dawn report published in October 2001 said that just days after the US began its war in Afghanistan, American military aircraft and helicopters had started using the heavily guarded Jacobabad base. The report said no one was allowed to get near the area around the airport.

The report quoted senior military spokesperson Rashid Qureshi, who told AFP he was not sure whether the US forces were using Jacobabad. He said we cannot disclose the practicals of our logistic support to the United States. Do not expect us to reveal that.

Pakistani analyst Imtiaz Gul earlier revealed that the Americans had taken control of the Nur Khan airbase. In a podcast that went viral after India’s Operation Sindoor Gul said that American planes used to come and go from Nur Khan base, and that Pakistanis did not even know what those planes carried.

He said a Pakistani Air Force officer once suspected something and tried to ask what the Americans were transporting. They replied Sorry, we cannot tell you. Gul said when the officer insisted, an American officer pulled out his pistol and said, "You are not authorised to know".