U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that India and Pakistan had agreed to Immediate Ceasefire after a fourth day of strikes and counter-strikes against each other's military installations.
Source Credit : Reuters
On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a comprehensive and immediate ceasefire following a series of strikes and counter-strikes on each other's military installations over the past four days.
Pakistan's foreign minister also said both countries had agreed to a ceasefire "with immediate effect" and India's foreign ministry said it would start at 5 p.m. Indian time
"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The unexpected announcement came at a time of heightened concerns regarding the potential use of the countries' nuclear arsenals, as Pakistan's military indicated that a key military and civilian body responsible for overseeing its nuclear weapons would convene. However, Pakistan's defense minister subsequently clarified that no such meeting was actually planned.
"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Pakistani Foreign minister Ishaq Dar posted on X. "Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"
The Indian Foreign Ministry announced that the Chief of Pakistan's military operations contacted his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon, and they reached an agreement to cease all firing. Both parties have scheduled another discussion for May 12.
The conflict escalated on Wednesday when India conducted airstrikes on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani Kashmir. This action came two weeks after 26 individuals were tragically killed in an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir.
The countries of India and Pakistan have been embroiled in a longstanding dispute over the region of Kashmir since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. India, with its Hindu majority, and Pakistan, an Islamic nation, both lay claim to the entirety of Kashmir. This contentious issue has led to three full-scale wars between the two nations, two of which were specifically fought over control of Kashmir, as well as numerous smaller skirmishes.
India has accused Pakistan of fueling an insurgency in its region of Kashmir since 1989, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands. Additionally, India holds Pakistani Islamist militant groups responsible for attacks in other parts of the country. Pakistan rejects both charges. It says it only provides moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.
