Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Thursday that the ceasefire between Pakistan and India has been extended until May 18.
The announcement comes after weeks of heightened military confrontation, triggered by India’s airstrikes on Pakistani territory following the Pahalgam attack in IIOJK, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
The strikes, carried out on the night of May 6-7, resulted in civilian casualties, prompting Pakistan to retaliate with missile exchanges that stretched over several days.
The crisis saw unprecedented escalation until diplomatic intervention by the United States pushed both nuclear-armed neighbors to step back.
On Monday, the director generals of military operations (DGMOs) of both countries held their first round of talks via the established hotline, marking a tentative step toward de-escalation.
Speaking in the Senate today, FM Dar revealed that another military-level conversation took place earlier in the day, leading to the extension of the ceasefire.
“The matter will ultimately go to dialogue between the civilian leadership of the two nations,” Dar said.
The temporary ceasefire extension offers a brief window for diplomatic engagement, but tensions remain high.