ISLAMABAD: A fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and India appeared to hold on Sunday, easing tensions after four days of the most intense cross-border violence since the Kargil conflict of 1999.
The truce, brokered on Saturday, follows a spate of missile, drone, and artillery attacks that brought the nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of all-out war.
The “full and immediate” ceasefire was announced by United States President Donald Trump on social media, stating that it came after a “long night of talks mediated by the United States.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri alleged early Sunday that New Delhi had retaliated to Pakistan’s violations of the truce.
However, Pakistan firmly denied the allegations. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the ceasefire and said the armed forces had shown “responsibility and restraint” in the face of Indian aggression.
The recent flare-up began on Wednesday when India launched a series of missile strikes into Pakistani territory, prompting immediate retaliation from Islamabad.
Pakistan claims to have downed five Indian fighter jets and returned heavy artillery fire.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his first address to the nation after the ceasefire, congratulated the armed forces and the people of Pakistan.
He thanked President Trump for facilitating the truce and expressed gratitude to China and leaders from the Arab world for their support.
“India imposed war on Pakistan following the Pahalgam incident, despite our offer for a transparent and independent investigation,” PM Sharif said, referring to the deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that triggered the crisis.
The Pakistani premier also lauded the military’s performance.
On Sunday, Pakistanis marked Victory Day with rallies and public displays of solidarity across the country. In various cities and towns across the country, thousands waved national flags and chanted slogans in support of the armed forces.
Many praised the Air Force for “avenging innocent martyrs” and raising national morale.
President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, commended both nations for showing “historic and heroic” leadership.
He pledged to expand trade with both countries and expressed a desire to “collaborate on finding a resolution” to the decades-old Kashmir dispute, adding, “I will work with you both to see if, after a ‘thousand years,’ a solution can be arrived at concerning Kashmir.”
China expressed hope that peace would prevail and reaffirmed its willingness to play a constructive role, state-run agency Xinhua reported.
Despite the de-escalation, analysts caution that the situation remains volatile. An editorial in Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper remarked, “While foreign friends can help create a conducive atmosphere, it is Islamabad and New Delhi that will have to do the heavy lifting themselves to secure peace.”
