Ready to negotiate peace: Shahbaz Sharif, truce till Sunday? Pakistan's foreign minister says
Pakistan is prepared for peace negotiations with India. This was asserted by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday. The news agency Reuters reported him as asserting so. Sharif also urged India to have peace negotiations. Furthermore, on Thursday, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar asserted in the Senate, the upper house of the Pakistani parliament, that the India-Pakistan ceasefire has been prolonged. The ceasefire will run until Sunday, May 18.
Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the announcement of the India-Pakistan ceasefire on May 10. The two militaries' Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMO) agreed to it by conversing on the 'hotline'. They had a second conversation on Monday. The Indian and Pakistani DGMOs also had a conversation on the 'hotline' on Thursday. The Pakistani Foreign Minister said the extension of the ceasefire was decided there.
Pakistani media Dawn reported Foreign Minister Dar stating in the Pakistani Senate on Thursday, "The two nations had 'military-to-military' dialogue on Thursday. They agreed there will be a ceasefire up to May 18." As of now, the India-Pakistan dialogue has remained at the level of the military. However, Dar also asserted that ultimately the issue will reach the civilian leadership of both nations. In his words, "Now the issue is just military-to-military communication. But in the end it will come to the level of civilian leadership-level discussions. We have informed the entire world that we will talk." Indian Army also issued a bilateral understanding to reduce tensions on Thursday. News agency PTI, quoting military officials, reported that the ceasefire could be extended on India's western frontier and the Line of Control through Sunday.
It should be noted that India-Pakistan relations soured following the terrorist attack in Pahalgaon on April 22. India made a series of moves blaming Pakistan for this. India initiated 'Operation Sindoor' on the midnight of May 6. On this retaliatory operation, Pakistan's camps of terrorists were targeted. Subsequently, Pakistan also initiated retaliatory firing. This war between the two nations raged on for four consecutive days. Subsequently, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire.
