WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that Washington is closely monitoring the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, brokered by President Donald Trump in May, stressing that sustaining such agreements is a complex and challenging process.
In a recent interview with NBC News, Rubio acknowledged that sustaining the ceasefire is not an easy task, describing it as a consistently complex and challenging process.
“We are keeping a close watch on Pakistan and India. We are constantly monitoring what’s happening between the two. A ceasefire is only possible when both parties are willing to stop fighting — and Russia has not done that yet,” he said.
The US Secretary of State noted that the US has been closely monitoring several regions daily—including Pakistan and India, as well as Cambodia and Thailand—to help maintain ongoing ceasefires.
“Ceasefire agreements can be broken down very quickly, especially after three years of war in Ukraine.” However, he stressed that the objective is not just a temporary ceasefire, but a peace agreement that ensures there is no war in the future.
Rubio added, “We are very fortunate to have a president who has made peace a priority for his administration. We’ve seen peace in Cambodia and Thailand, efforts have been made in India and Pakistan, and we will seize every opportunity to promote peace around the world.”
Marka-e-Haq victory
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 people.
India blamed Pakistan-based elements for the assault but provided no evidence. Pakistan condemned the attack and strongly denied the Indian allegations.
The Pakistan Armed Forces conducted Operation Bunyanum Marsoos on May 10 as part of the military operation ‘Marka-e-Haq’ in response to the Indian military’s 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.
Pakistan intercepted multiple BrahMos supersonic missiles before launching the military operation on May 10, deploying its Al-Fatah missile system and targeting multiple Indian military installations.
Moreover, the Pakistan Air Force shot down six Indian jets, including French Rafale, and carried out strikes on several Indian airbases.
Following these developments, India requested intervention from US President Donald Trump, which ultimately led to a ceasefire agreement between the two nuclear-armed neighbours on May 10.
On the other hand, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar have clearly stated that there was no third-party involvement in the ceasefire, nor was it linked to trade, as Trump had claimed.
