WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump insisted on Wednesday that he had stopped the war between India and Pakistan, hours after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the ceasefire after a four-day conflict in May was achieved through direct talks between Islamabad and New Delhi, not US mediation.
Trump made his remarks just before he was scheduled to host Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir in a meeting at the White House on Wednesday, something likely to upset India.
Speaking as he watched the installation of a new flagpole at the White House, Trump said, “Well, I stopped the war between Pakistan and India. I love Pakistan.”
Trump’s renewed claim comes just hours after India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated that Prime Minister Modi had told Trump late on Tuesday that a ceasefire between India and Pakistan was achieved through talks between the neighbours and not US mediation.
Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed to President Trump that at no point during this entire sequence of events was there any discussion, at any level, on an India–US trade deal, or any proposal for mediation by the US between India and Pakistan,” Misri said.
Prior to the ceasefire heaviest fighting in decades between India and Pakistan was sparked by an April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that killed 26 people.
New Delhi swiftly linked the incident with Pakistan without presenting any credible evidence. Islamabad condemned the incident and strongly rejected India’s claims and called for a neutral and transparent international probe.
Pakistan conducted Operation Bunyanum Marsoos in response to the Indian military’s dastardly attacks that began on the night of May 6 and 7, resulting in the loss of innocent civilian lives, including women, children, and the elderly.
On May 10, Pakistan deployed its Al-Fatah missile and targeted multiple Indian military installations.
However, after the intervention of Donald Trump, a full and immediate ceasefire was reached between India and Pakistan.
Trump made his remarks just before he was scheduled to host Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump would host Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Trump had announced last month that the nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours agreed to a ceasefire after talks mediated by the US and that the hostilities ended after he urged the countries to focus on trade instead of war.
However, Modi told Trump late on Tuesday that the ceasefire was achieved through talks between the Indian and Pakistani militaries and not US mediation, according to India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
