Pakistan’s foreign minister also said both countries had agreed to a ceasefire “with immediate effect” and India’s foreign ministry said it would start at 5pm Indian time (1130 GMT).
“After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The sudden announcement came on a day when fears spiked that the countries’ nuclear arsenals might come into play as Pakistan’s military said a top military and civilian body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet.
But Pakistan’s defence minister later said no such meeting was scheduled.
At the same time, officials from both sides showed a willingness to take a step back following the day’s exchanges, as the combined civilian death toll on the two sides rose to 66.
“Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect,” Pakistani Foreign minister Ishaq Dar posted on X. “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”
India’s foreign ministry said that the head of Pakistan’s military operations called his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon and it was agreed that both sides would stop all firing.
The two heads will speak to each other again on May 12, the ministry added.
The fighting began on Wednesday when India carried out strikes on what it said was “terrorist infrastructure” in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Pakistan, two weeks after 26 people were killed in an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Pakistan denied India’s accusations that it was involved in the tourist attack. Since Wednesday, the two countries have exchanged cross-border fire and shelling, and sent drones and missiles into each other’s airspace.
The countries have been locked in a dispute over Kashmir since they were born after the end of British colonial rule in 1947. They have gone to war three times since, including twice over Kashmir, and clashed several times.
Pakistan’s airspace ‘fully restored’
Pakistan’s airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, confirms a spokesperson of Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).
This development comes after US President Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after Islamabad’s offensive against New Delhi earlier today.
All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations, the airport authority spokesperson said.
He also said that passengers were requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights.
The restoration of Pakistan’s airspace comes hours after its closure was extended till 12pm tomorrow, May 11, for all types of flights, earlier.
The authority said that the airspace had been previously closed amid tensions between Pakistan and India at the Line of Control (LoC).
