Following a night of rising tensions between India and Pakistan, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday morning that his administration facilitated a “complete and immediate ceasefire” in the conflict, which had seen both nations launch attacks on each other’s military bases.
Trump remarked, “We are pleased to announce that after a long night of talks mediated by the US, India and Pakistan have agreed to a complete and immediate ceasefire.” He expressed gratitude for their attention to the matter.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishak Dal confirmed the ceasefire shortly after Trump’s announcement. He described it as a “full” ceasefire and indicated that communication lines between the Indian and Pakistani governments and militaries had reopened.
Dal stated, “Pakistan has always worked hard for the peace and security of the region without compromising its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”
Top officials in India acknowledged the agreement, announcing that “Both sides will halt all combat and military action on land, air, and sea from 17:00 Indian Standard Time (7 am Eastern Time) today.”
He added that directions would be given to both sides to reinforce this understanding, with military representatives scheduled to speak again at noon on May 12th.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that both countries have agreed to “start consultations on a wide range of issues at neutral sites.”
Rubio commented, “For the past 48 hours, Vice President JD Vance and I have been in discussions with senior officials from both India and Pakistan, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shebaz Sharif.” He commended their wisdom in pursuing peace.
The conflict saw an escalation earlier this week, likely in response to an attack by terrorists with ties to Pakistan, which resulted in a tragic massacre of tourists on April 22. Since then, both nations have engaged in daily exchanges of artillery and small arms fire, blaming each other for the ongoing hostilities.
A particularly sharp increase in conflict occurred on Friday night when India purportedly targeted three air force bases in Pakistan, including those near Islamabad.
Pakistan claimed it managed to intercept most of India’s missiles and labeled India’s actions as “provocation of the highest order.” They subsequently launched a counterattack termed “Operation Banyan Marzos.”
The recent events are viewed as a significant escalation, expanding attacks beyond Kashmir, where the initial terrorist strikes occurred.
