India, Pakistan agree ceasefire

Published : Saturday, 10 May, 2025 at 7:25 PM Count : 240

US President Donald Trump yesterday said that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after a fourth day of strikes and counter-strikes against each other's military installations.

"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.

Pakistan and India confirmed the ceasefire.

"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect. Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!," Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on X.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said at a brief media appearance in New Delhi this afternoon that the Director General of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart at 15.35 hours today, and it was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 5:00pm Indian time.

The Directors General of Military Operations of both countries would talk again on May 12 at 1200 hours, he added.

Ishaq Dar told broadcaster Geo News that the countries have agreed to a "full-fledged" and "not partial" ceasefire, adding that three dozen countries were involved in the diplomacy that secured it.

Immediately after Trump's announcement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a long post on "X", said the ceasefire came after 48 hours of intense negotiations.

"Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik," said Rubio.

"I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site. We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added.

The announcement came on a day when fears that the countries' nuclear arsenals might come into play spiked as the Pakistan military said a top military and civil body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet.

But the Pakistani defence minister later said no such meeting was scheduled.

At the same time, officials from both sides showed a willingness, for now, to take a step back following the day's exchanges, while the civilian death toll on both sides of the border mounted to 66.

FP/MI