India, Pakistan agree to continue with confidence building measures, reduce alertness level

New Delhi: Indian Army on Thursday said that India and Pakistan have decided to continue with the confidence building measures so as to reduce the alertness level along the boundary.

“Further to the understanding between the two DGMOs on May 10, it has been decided to continue the confidence building measures so as to reduce the alertness level. As the situation develops further, we shall intimate you,” Indian army sources said in a brief statement.

The statement comes, hours after multiple reports on ceasefire extension from Islamabad quoting Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who said the country's military had agreed to extend a ceasefire with India until Sunday during a phone call between the two armies on Thursday.

The Pakistan Minister told the Parliament that both sides had "military to military communications" on Wednesday and Thursday and "today we had a conversation and it is a ceasefire until May 18", according to an AFP report.

After four days of intense conflict, the Director General of Military Operations of Indian and Pakistani armies spoke on the hotline last Monday and decided to continue with the commitment of not firing a single shot at each other.

They also agreed to consider steps for troop reduction from the border and forward areas besides not to initiate any aggressive behaviour.