WASHINGTON – India and Pakistan agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire Saturday after weeks of deadly violence in the Kashmir region, officials said — but the truce appeared to be short-lived.
Within hours, Indian officials accused Pakistan of violating the agreement and said they would retaliate.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told local media there were “repeated violations” of the agreement by Pakistan — and that India would be have an “appropriate response.”
“We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif was set to address the nation, according to a report.
The deal, announced by President Trump early Saturday, had included an agreement to “stop all fighting,” including military action on land, air and sea, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said at a news conference.
The ceasefire would have an “immediate effect,” Pakistan’s deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar wrote on X when the deal was announced, but hours later, Indian officials sounded the alarm.
“What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!” the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullad, wrote on X hours before.
“This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up,” he added with a video showing drones and explosions across the sky in the disputed territory.
Trump had revealed the agreement in a Truth Social post.
“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,” Trump wrote.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance were both involved in negotiations over the past two days.
Rubio wrote on social media.“I am pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site,” Rubio wrote on X.
Vance wrote, “Great work from the President’s team, especially Secretary Rubio,” adding, “and my gratitude to the leaders of India and Pakistan for their hard work and willingness to engage in this ceasefire.”
Tensions between the two countries had escalated in recent days, sending missiles and drones into areas not hit in decades. The violence began on April 22 after a Pakistan-based militant group descended on a tourist-heavy area, asking people their religion and then opening fire, killing 25 tourists and one local Muslim and injuring 20 others.
The attack was carried out while Vance was visiting India with his wife, second lady Usha Vance, trying to improve trade relations with the US ally.
India responded to the attack by expelling Pakistani diplomats and closing its borders, as well as suspending the Indus Waters Treaty.
The two nuclear-armed neighbors then launched strikes against each other’s military installations, prompting fears the conflict would escalate.
Trump’s announcement comes after Vance said Thursday that the US does not want to get involved in the conflict.“What we can do is try to encourage these folks to de-escalate a little bit, but we’re not going to get involved in the middle of a war that’s fundamentally none of our business and has nothing to do with America’s ability to control it,” Vance had said on Fox News.
With Post wires
