India, Pakistan military operations chiefs hold talks, Indian army says
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There were no reports of explosions or projectiles overnight, after some initial ceasefire violations.
PHOTO: AFP
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JAMMU, India - The military operations chiefs of India and Pakistan spoke by phone on May 12, the Indian army said, as New Delhi reopened airports and shares rose in both countries following a ceasefire
There were no reports of explosions or projectiles overnight, after some initial ceasefire violations, with the Indian Army saying May 11 was the first peaceful night in recent days along the border, although some schools remain closed.
The May 10 ceasefire in the Himalayan region, announced by US President Donald Trump, followed four days of intense firing and diplomacy and pressure from Washington.
The discussion between the chiefs focused on the ceasefire, Indian broadcaster CNN-News18 reported, citing top government sources. It said curbs imposed by the countries on each other remained in place, including the suspension of trade and closure of their borders.
The Indian army said details of the talks would be shared soon. The media unit of the Pakistani military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was due to address the nation at 8pm (10.30pm Singapore time), and local media said he would speak on last week’s strikes on “terrorist camps” in Pakistan that sparked the military conflict.
Mr Modi has not spoken publicly on the strikes or the fighting.
India’s military sent a “hotline” message
A spokesman for Pakistan’s military denied any violations.
“In spite of some minor damage, all our military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational,” India’s director-general of air operations, Air Marshal A.K. Bharti, told a media briefing.
The archrivals had targeted each other’s military installations with missiles and drones, killing dozens of civilians as relations turned sour after India blamed Pakistan for an attack that killed 26 tourists.
Pakistan denies the accusations and has called for a neutral investigation.
Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but claim it in full.
India said it launched strikes on nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on April 30, but Islamabad has said those were civilian sites.
On May 12, India reopened 32 airports it shut during the clashes, with the Airports Authority of India saying in a statement they were available for civil operations. Some schools remained closed.
Pakistan reopened its airspace on May 10.
Visitors were kept out of an airport in the border city of Amritsar shortly after the announcement, a Reuters witness said.
Mr Dharmendra Singh, 34, a driver in the city sacred to Sikhs, said there was no fear among residents, though the situation was not as serious as in the northern city of Jammu.
“It’s over now... It’s good to see the city coming back to its glory,” he said.
Pakistan halted trading on May 12 for an hour after its benchmark share index rose nearly 9 per cent, having recovered most of its losses in the past three sessions after India’s strikes.
Late on May 9, the International Monetary Fund approved a fresh US$1.4 billion (S$1.8 billion) loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund and approved the first review of its US$7 billion programme.
Indian benchmarks jumped about 2.5 per cent in early trade, after the Nifty index lost 1.5 per cent in the prior three sessions.
Worries about the conflict also erased US$83 billion from equities in the two days until May 9.
While Islamabad has thanked Washington for facilitating the ceasefire and welcomed Mr Trump’s offer to mediate on the Kashmir dispute with India, New Delhi has not commented on US involvement in the truce or talks at a neutral site.
India’s main opposition Congress party, which had backed Mr Modi after the April 22 attack, called for a special Parliament session on the latest developments with Pakistan.
“The government should also give its stand on the statements made by America on the Kashmir issue, as this is a bilateral issue,” Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in a post on social media platform X on May 11.
India, which says disputes with Pakistan have to be resolved directly by the neighbours, has rejected the involvement of any third party.
In Beijing, the Foreign Ministry said China, which also controls a small slice of Kashmir, was willing to maintain communication with both its neighbours, and play a “constructive role in achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire” and maintaining peace.
India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989, but Pakistan says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists. REUTERS
