Pakistan called up India requesting ceasefire hours after India’s strikes against 11 PAF airbases: Read what forced Pakistan to end hostilities
In a significant development that brings temporary respite to escalating tensions in South Asia, India and Pakistan have agreed to a full ceasefire, following a period of intense cross-border military engagement and diplomatic pressure from global actors — most notably, the United States.
The breakthrough came after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted his Indian counterpart at 3:35 PM today, approximately 12 hours after the Indian Air Force conducted precision strikes on eight Pakistani air bases in retaliation to recent provocations. The Pakistani side, acknowledging the rapidly deteriorating situation, reached out to propose a halt to hostilities and a return to dialogue.
According to reliable sources in the Indian defense establishment, Pakistan’s DGMO requested “an understanding to enter a full ceasefire,” effective 5:00 PM today. After internal deliberations and consultations with strategic stakeholders, the Indian side agreed to the proposal, signaling a pause to the military confrontation — albeit with caution and conditional vigilance.
Indian officials emphasized it agreed for the ceasefire in the larger interest of regional stability, but not without weighing the credibility and intent behind Pakistan’s offer. “We remain on high alert. This ceasefire will hold only if there are no violations. We’ve been here before,” a senior official said.
Diplomatic insiders confirmed that U.S. interlocutors played a behind-the-scenes role in defusing the crisis, urging both nuclear-armed neighbors to de-escalate and resume military-to-military communication. Washington is believed to have conveyed a stern message to Rawalpindi, warning of diplomatic consequences should Pakistan continue on a path of escalation.
Further discussions between the two militaries are scheduled: the DGMOs of India and Pakistan are set to speak again on May 12 at 12:00 PM, in what is expected to be a more structured conversation about maintaining the ceasefire and preventing future incidents.
Make no mistake. This is not just a ceasefire by a nation bent on rattling sabers, it is an abject capitulation by a war weary Pakistan after losing military infrastructure, an AWACS, two to four fighter jets, presumably F-16s, HQ9 air defence system, and more recently, the devastation caused to air bases across its geography.
This latest round of hostilities began after a series of aggressive maneuvers by Pakistan-based militant groups and subsequent Indian retaliatory operations. The Indian strikes early today marked a clear escalation in India’s counter-terror posture, focusing on degrading Pakistan’s military infrastructure used to abet cross-border terrorism.
India launched an offensive against Pakistan and targeted its 8 military bases. The development came hours after Pakistan’s continued drone and missile attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.
The military installations targeted by India included an aviation base in Sialkot, radar site in Pasrur and 6 other bases located in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian.
The agreement to ceasefire comes as a relief to civilians on both sides of the border who have borne the brunt of the military standoff. However, analysts caution that this is likely a tactical pause rather than a permanent peace. The trust deficit remains deep, and the region’s stability continues to hinge on Pakistan’s willingness to dismantle terrorist infrastructure operating from its soil.
Though guns at the front have fallen silent for now, but it remains to be seen if diplomacy can hash out a framework to achieve sustained peace or if Pakistan would use the detente to replenish and regroup its battered forces.
It is worth noting that India has already signaled that it has changed the terms of engagement with Pakistan, treating an terror incident on its soil as an ‘Act of War’ against India and holding the right to respond accordingly.
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