India claims Pakistan violated ceasefire within hours

Hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire that aimed to end the worst violence between the two nuclear-armed rivals in years, Indian officials accused Islamabad of violating the pact.

A resident watches his smartphone as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses the nation from Islamabad. Picture: Aamir Qureshi/AFP

Hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire that aimed to end the worst violence between the two nuclear-armed rivals in years, Indian officials accused Islamabad of violating the pact.

Earlier on Saturday, the pair agreed to a halt to the fighting after what Donald Trump described as a US-brokered deal. But late in the day, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said there have been “repeated violations” by Pakistan.

“This is a breach of the earlier understanding arrived at today,” he said. “The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response.” In comments to a local broadcaster, Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar denied any violation of the ceasefire.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance led a diplomatic charge to get the two countries to back away from an escalating conflict the President feared could go nuclear.

Mr Rubio had spoken to his counterparts in both countries on Friday, specifically telling them to engage in talks “to avoid miscalculation”. The ceasefire ends days of clashes in the wake of a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blames on Islamabad. Pakistan denies involvement in the attack.

Top US officials received alarming intelligence on Friday, indicating the conflict might spiral out of control, according to a person familiar with the situation Over the past two days, Mr Vance and Mr Rubio took the lead in calling senior officials in India and Pakistan, urging them to end their escalating fight.

On a call Friday with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Vance encouraged him to consider de-escalation options, and outlined ideas Pakistan might agree to, according to a person familiar with the situation. Mr Modi didn’t explicitly say he was open to Mr Vance’s peace outline.

US Vice President JD Vance. Picture: AP Photo/Alex Brandon

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Picture: Money Sharma/AFP

Key US officials then continued to call their counterparts in India and Pakistan to ensure they would stop fighting within a period of 12 to 18 hours.

In a post on his Truth Social network early on Saturday, Mr Trump congratulated both countries “on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence”. US intervention between the two countries has been influential in the past, though political analysts had warned Washington’s sway over Islamabad had waned in recent years as China pulled Pakistan closer into its orbit.

The US continues to be seen as a trustworthy intermediary by both sides. Political experts were concerned in recent days that Mr Trump wasn’t focused enough on the risk of another major war breaking as he turned his attention to trade deals following April’s tariff announcements.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Picture: AP Photo/Kevin Wolf

Mr Rubio said both countries agreed to talks on the broader issues affecting their relations. The Indian Foreign Ministry, however, denied that further talks are planned.

India and the US have drawn significantly closer in recent years amid increased tensions with China.

Husain Haqqani, senior fellow at Hudson Institute and a former Pakistan ambassador to the US, said Washington’s intervention was key. “The two sides have no trust whatsoever,” he said. “When the two protagonists have absolute mistrust, then the role of a major power acting as a broker in a ceasefire then is primarily to help be the provider of that trust to keep either side from panicking.”

However, Tamanna Salikuddin, a former director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the national security council under the Obama administration, said the US appears to underestimate the difficulty in making a ceasefire stick. Tensions between Pakistan and India are exacerbated by bellicose rhetoric by leaders on both sides who want to consolidate support at home and show off what they think are upgraded militaries.

The US, meanwhile, has let its own influence as a mediator in the region atrophy, Ms Salikuddin said, noting the Trump administration has yet to appoint ambassadors to New Delhi or Islamabad.

Earlier last week, India launched what it called retaliatory strikes for the militant attack last month in Kashmir that left 26 people dead. Pakistan said it shot down Indian jets involved in the strikes. India hasn’t commented on the allegation.

The Wall Street Journal