US President Donald Trump says India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after US-mediated talks, but neither country has immediately confirmed a deal, Associated Press reported.
It follows of weeks of hostilities between the nuclear armed rivals, who have traded missile strikes, drone attacks and artillery fire and is their most serious confrontation in decades. Tensions have flared since a gun massacre last month that India blames on Pakistan.
Trump announced the ceasefire from his account on the Truth Social Platform.
“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,” he said.
“Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence,” he was quoted as saying by Dwan newspaper in Pakistan. Indian newspapers also reported Trump’s announcement.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed at a news conference that the ceasefire came into effect at 5 p.m. local time.
During the news conference, Misri said that Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) held a phone call with his Indian counterpart earlier on Saturday afternoon. During the call, it was agreed that both sides “would stop all firing and military action” from 5 p.m. Indian Standard Time.
Misri added that the directors general of the two countries are scheduled to speak again on Monday.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy, with whom he spoke earlier today, also “played a role” in the ceasefire between Pakistan and India.
In an interview with GEO news, Dar said: “We jointly agreed [on ceasefire] but obviously, these countries were involved.”
“This background diplomacy, WhatsApp diplomacy has been going on today,” he added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a social media post confirmed the negotiation phase .
“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. 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.”