New Delhi: Pakistan realised that India meant business after its eight air bases were destroyed, and “sued for peace” by seeking a cessation of hostilities, government sources said on Sunday.
There was no need for a third-party intervention and, in fact, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to convey that the Pakistanis got the message after being hammered by Indian missiles, they said.
The comments dilute US President Donald Trump’s claim that American mediation brought about peace, said the sources, pointing out that Trump is given to hyperbole.
On Saturday, the US president claimed credit for the understanding reached between India and Pakistan on halting all military actions, saying the two sides agreed on a “full and immediate ceasefire” after a “long night of talks mediated by the US”.
The sources cited above said the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan reached the understanding and no third party was involved.
India’s precision strikes using an array of weapon systems and missiles on eight key installations ranging from air defence systems to radar sites and command centres of the Pakistani military forced Islamabad to urge New Delhi to end the hostilities, the sources said.
The Indian strikes came in response to Pakistan’s attempts to attack 26 Indian targets, including air force stations in Udhampur, Pathankot and Adampur, on the intervening night of May 9 and 10, they said.
The Indian armed forces launched the fierce counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations, including Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur and Chunian, on Saturday morning, the sources said.
Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions, causing massive damage, they added.
Following India’s strikes on nine terror infrastructures early on May 7, Pakistan attempted to attack several Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10.
The Pakistani actions on the intervening night of May 9 and 10 was the most severe, the sources said.
They said following India’s attacks on the Pakistani installations, Pakistan pleaded for cessation of hostilities and its DGMO called his Indian counterpart.
The understanding on halting military actions was firmed up by the two DGMOs, the sources said, dismissing Washington’s claims of brokering the “ceasefire”.
Around two hours after the conversation between the two DGMOs, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday evening announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect.
“We have maintained from the start the only talking which will be done between India and Pakistan will be between the DGMOs and directly,” said a source.
The sources also downplayed comments by the US administration about mediation on the Kashmir issue and talks between India and Pakistan at a “neutral site”.
“We do not have anything to discuss with Islamabad on the Kashmir issue, other than the return of parts of illegally-occupied Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan,” said a source.
“There is nothing else to discuss. They have to hand over the illegally-occupied territory and they can do it directly. We don’t need anybody in between,” the source said, rejecting the involvement of any third party on the issue.
