Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire effective immediately, following four days of escalating military strikes between the two neighboring countries.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the agreement on Saturday, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to regional peace. “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Dar stated on social media platform X.
He revealed that diplomatic efforts involving several countries, including the United States, Türkiye, and Saudi Arabia, facilitated the ceasefire agreement after recent escalations.
In New Delhi, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the mutual decision to halt military actions along their borders and the Line of Control (LoC). “Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations called the DGMO of India earlier this afternoon. It was agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from 17:00 local time today. Instructions have been given on both sides to implement this understanding,” Misri said during a press briefing.
The two DGMOs are scheduled to hold further discussions on May 12 at 12:00 local time to solidify the ceasefire terms.
Following the announcement, Pakistan reopened its airspace to all flights. “Pakistan’s airspace has been fully reopened for all types of flights,” the Pakistan Airports Authority declared.
An anonymous Indian government source confirmed to AFP that the ceasefire was a bilateral decision. “The stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan was worked out directly between the two countries,” the source said.
Tensions had escalated earlier in the week when India launched airstrikes on Pakistani targets in response to last month’s attack that killed 26 people in Pahalgam, a town about 89 kilometers east of Srinagar in the Kashmir region.
The LoC in Kashmir had witnessed increased military activity, with troops from both sides exchanging fire and artillery.
The ceasefire brings hope for de-escalation in a region long plagued by conflict, with young people across the Global South watching closely for signs of lasting peace between the two nations.
