Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi/Srinagar: On a day of dramatic developments, India and Pakistan on Saturday agreed to a ceasefire after almost four days of face-off, but the agreement lasted a few hours as the neighbouring country violated the deal by launching drones and shelling border districts of Kashmir.
Late Saturday night, India said it has taken a serious note of the violations. “The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation with seriousness and responsibility,” said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
Explosions were reported in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, triggering blackouts in several areas. Loud blasts with streaks of light in the sky followed by rapid gunfire-like sounds were heard in Srinagar. Sirens blared through the city as air defence systems appeared to activate.
Similar reports of explosions and suspected aerial activity came from the border districts of Baramulla and Bandipora in north Kashmir, while an army trooper was reportedly injured in a brief exchange of fire with a suspected terrorist outside the Nagrota Military Station.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted a video on X and said, “What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!”
There were reports of blackouts in parts of Rajasthan and Punjab as well. In Delhi, Army sources said there were no blasts in Srinagar and no firing along the Line of Control around 10 pm, but it happened earlier.
Sources said enemy drones came in and were engaged by Indian air defence system. “Drones had come, but largely went back,” they said.
Earlier, news about New Delhi and Islamabad agreeing to stop cross-border military actions was first announced by US President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Marco Rubio on social media platforms. The US claimed to have brokered the ceasefire, which India and Pakistan confirmed in New Delhi and Islamabad a short while later.
New Delhi, however, contradicted the Trump administration’s claim about its mediation and insisted that the talks between India’s Director General of Military Operations and his counterpart in Pakistan over the phone had led to an understanding on a ceasefire “without involvement of a third party”.
PM Narendra Modi’s government also dismissed the claim made by the US that India and Pakistan had agreed to hold talks on “a broad set of issues” at “a neutral venue”.
“The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hours (IST) earlier today,’’ Foreign Secretary Misri announced at a media briefing.
‘‘It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours (IST) today. Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to the understanding,” he said. The DGMOs of India and Pakistan will talk again at 1200 hours on May 12, the foreign secretary said.
“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social at 5.25 pm, almost 30 minutes before it was announced in New Delhi. “Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence,” the US president posted.
Rubio posted on X that he and the US Vice President J D Vance had engaged with prime ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval of India as well as Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir and ISI chief Asim Malik of Pakistan. “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,” he said.
A source in New Delhi, however, contradicted the US claims and said that the stoppage of firing and military action between India and Pakistan had been “worked out directly between the two countries” and “no third party” had been involved. There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place, added the source.
Trump’s and his administration’s public claims about brokering the ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan caused unease in New Delhi. India has been steadfastly maintaining that the 1972 Simla Agreement between India and Pakistan and the 1999 Lahore Declaration had left no scope for the United Nations or any other third party to play any role in resolving the issues between the two South Asian neighbours.
(With inputs from Kalyan Ray)