Officials say the two countries reached an understanding ‘directly’, appearing to refute U.S. statements on brokering a deal.
The Union government said here on Saturday that the the Directors-General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan “directly” had reached an understanding to end hostilities.
However, the first intimation of the cessation of hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad came not from either capital but from Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump claimed credit for the U.S. mediation of the conflict.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Mr. Trump and the United States for “facilitating the outcome”, which, he said, Pakistan had “accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability”.
Mr. Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social account about half an hour before the announcement of the “understanding” was made by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. It was the same way he had announced in 2019 that he had mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and negotiated the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot who was captured in Pakistan, before it was announced in India.
A U.S. State Department press statement also called it a “U.S.-brokered Ceasefire between India and Pakistan”.
Indian officials, who asked not to be named, rebutted Mr. Trump’s claim that a “full and immediate ceasefire” was the outcome of “a long night of talks mediated by the United States”. “Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence,” Mr. Trump added in his post.
Mr. Rubio’s statement that India and Pakistan had agreed to “start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”, was also questioned by government sources.
Officials said India and Pakistan had worked out the agreement on stopping military action “between the two countries”, and said that, contrary to Mr. Rubio’s comment, there was “no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place”.
Mr. Rubio, who has spoken to both sides every day since Operation Sindoor was launched on May 8, said he and U.S. Vice- President J.D. Vance had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Sharif, External Minister S. Jaishankar, his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Muhammad Asim Malik, Director-General of the ISI and the NSA.
Mr. Rubio spoke to Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir early on Saturday morning, after a massive escalation in the conflict, with the bombing of Pakistani airbases and drone swarm attacks on Indian military infrastructure, “to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts”, a conversation that raised some questions about the balance of power in Pakistan.
In the past few days, leaders of several countries have also spoken to New Delhi and Islamabad, calling for a de-escalation. Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir visited both capitals a day apart, and in a statement the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the visits were part of the Saudi Kingdom’s “efforts towards de-escalation, ending the ongoing military confrontation and resolving all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels”.
Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also visited both capitals during the week, with a similar, albeit less publicised message. According to Reuters, the Pakistani Foreign Minister told Pakistani channel Geo that about “three dozen” countries had intervened with calls for a ceasefire over the past few days.
Govt. says peace deal with Pakistan was struck without mediation
Officials say the two countries reached an understanding ‘directly’, appearing to refute U.S. statements on brokering a deal.
The Union government said here on Saturday that the the Directors-General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan “directly” had reached an understanding to end hostilities.
However, the first intimation of the cessation of hostilities between New Delhi and Islamabad came not from either capital but from Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump claimed credit for the U.S. mediation of the conflict.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif thanked Mr. Trump and the United States for “facilitating the outcome”, which, he said, Pakistan had “accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability”.
Mr. Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social account about half an hour before the announcement of the “understanding” was made by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. It was the same way he had announced in 2019 that he had mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan and negotiated the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the Indian Air Force pilot who was captured in Pakistan, before it was announced in India.
A U.S. State Department press statement also called it a “U.S.-brokered Ceasefire between India and Pakistan”.
Indian officials, who asked not to be named, rebutted Mr. Trump’s claim that a “full and immediate ceasefire” was the outcome of “a long night of talks mediated by the United States”. “Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence,” Mr. Trump added in his post.
Mr. Rubio’s statement that India and Pakistan had agreed to “start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”, was also questioned by government sources.
Officials said India and Pakistan had worked out the agreement on stopping military action “between the two countries”, and said that, contrary to Mr. Rubio’s comment, there was “no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place”.
Mr. Rubio, who has spoken to both sides every day since Operation Sindoor was launched on May 8, said he and U.S. Vice- President J.D. Vance had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Sharif, External Minister S. Jaishankar, his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Muhammad Asim Malik, Director-General of the ISI and the NSA.
Mr. Rubio spoke to Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir early on Saturday morning, after a massive escalation in the conflict, with the bombing of Pakistani airbases and drone swarm attacks on Indian military infrastructure, “to urge both parties to find ways to de-escalate and offered U.S. assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts”, a conversation that raised some questions about the balance of power in Pakistan.
In the past few days, leaders of several countries have also spoken to New Delhi and Islamabad, calling for a de-escalation. Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir visited both capitals a day apart, and in a statement the Saudi Foreign Ministry said that the visits were part of the Saudi Kingdom’s “efforts towards de-escalation, ending the ongoing military confrontation and resolving all disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels”.
Iran Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi also visited both capitals during the week, with a similar, albeit less publicised message. According to Reuters, the Pakistani Foreign Minister told Pakistani channel Geo that about “three dozen” countries had intervened with calls for a ceasefire over the past few days.
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