India, Pakistan agree to extend ceasefire until May 18 following military talks

India and Pakistan have agreed to extend the existing ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) until 18 May, following a renewed round of military-level discussions between the two nations, Pakistani First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced.

Dar addressed Pakistan’s upper house of parliament, confirming that the extension was the outcome of a telephone conversation held on May 14 between the military operations commanders of both countries, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

This marks the second such dialogue in less than a week, following a previous exchange on May 10.

“The talks on May 14 led to the extension of the ceasefire till May 18,” Dar stated, highlighting the significance of ongoing communication between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Pakistan has officially concluded its military campaign, codenamed Bunyān-um-Marsūs, which was launched on the night of May 10 in response to Indian airstrikes.

The large-scale operation targeted Indian military installations, including airbases in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and missile sites in Punjab. The offensive marks one of the most significant escalations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in recent decades.

The flare-up in hostilities began on April 22 following a deadly attack on civilians in the Pahalgam district of Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi attributed to Pakistani intelligence services.

In a move to de-escalate the situation, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier announced the suspension of further strikes on Pakistan.

By Vafa Guliyeva