A senior Pakistani security official said on Tuesday that India and Pakistan have agreed to withdraw the troop reinforcements they rushed to the border during their week-long conflict this month.
“Troops will be withdrawn to pre-conflict positions by the end of May,” the official told Agence France-Presse (AFP), speaking anonymously because he did not have permission to issue statements to the media.
According to this source, India and Pakistan agreed to a “phased withdrawal” of troops and artillery, mostly from the unofficial border known as the Line of Control (LoC) in the disputed region of Kashmir.
Kashmir was the scene of the brutal April 22 terrorist attack that brought India and Pakistan to the brink of war. India’s retaliatory strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan began a series of escalations that ended with a ceasefire on the fifth day.
Indian officials said both sides would consider swiftly withdrawing their reinforcements from the LoC to reduce the risk of unfortunate incidents and ensure the ceasefire holds. According to the Pakistani official quoted by AFP, the de-escalation process has now begun.
“All of these steps were initially planned to be completed within 10 days, but minor issues caused delays,” the Pakistani official said.
Pakistan’s Express Tribune on Wednesday reported the withdrawal agreement was reached during “the latest contact between the director general military operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.”
Both militaries agreed to begin the withdrawal “cautiously,” without official statements from either government.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that India’s military operation against terrorists in Pakistan was only “paused,” and Pakistan was on “probation” to prevent further terror attacks.
“If their behavior does not change, the strictest punishment will be given,” Singh said.
“Operation Sindoor is not over yet. Whatever happened was just a trailer. When the right time comes, we will show the full picture to the world,” he warned. Operation Sindoor is the name India gave to its strikes on terrorist training camps in Pakistan.
The Express Tribune’s sources in the Pakistani military said Islamabad has decided to overlook the provocative tone of Singh’s remarks and remains committed to a ceasefire. Based on their high-level DGMO contacts, the Pakistanis believe India’s military wants the ceasefire to hold as well. Negotiations for an enduring peace between the civilian governments of both countries have not yet begun in earnest.
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