Pakistan, India agree to ‘full, immediate ceasefire’ after US mediation

After days of escalation, US President Donald Trump on Saturday announced that that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire".

Pakistan's foreign minister also said both countries had agreed to a ceasefire "with immediate effect" and India's foreign ministry said it would start at 5pm Indian time (1130 GMT).

"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The sudden announcement came on a day when fears spiked that the countries' nuclear arsenals might come into play as Pakistan's military said a top military and civilian body overseeing its nuclear weapons would meet.

But Pakistan's defence minister later said no such meeting was scheduled.

At the same time, officials from both sides showed a willingness to take a step back following the day's exchanges, as the combined civilian death toll on the two sides rose to 66.

"Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect," Pakistani Foreign minister Ishaq Dar posted on X. "Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!"

India's foreign ministry said that the head of Pakistan's military operations called his Indian counterpart on Saturday afternoon and it was agreed that both sides would stop all firing.

The two heads will speak to each other again on May 12, the ministry added.

The fighting began on Wednesday when India carried out strikes on what it said was "terrorist infrastructure" in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Pakistan, two weeks after 26 people were killed in an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Pakistan denied India's accusations that it was involved in the tourist attack. Since Wednesday, the two countries have exchanged cross-border fire and shelling, and sent drones and missiles into each other's airspace.

The countries have been locked in a dispute over Kashmir since they were born after the end of British colonial rule in 1947. They have gone to war three times since, including twice over Kashmir, and clashed several times.

Pakistan's airspace 'fully restored'

Pakistan's airspace has been fully restored for all types of flights, confirms a spokesperson of Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA).

This development comes after US President Trump announced that India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after Islamabad's offensive against New Delhi earlier today.

All airports in the country are available for normal flight operations, the airport authority spokesperson said.

He also said that passengers were requested to contact the relevant airline for the latest schedule of their flights.

The restoration of Pakistan's airspace comes hours after its closure was extended till 12pm tomorrow, May 11, for all types of flights, earlier.

The authority said that the airspace had been previously closed amid tensions between Pakistan and India at the Line of Control (LoC).

US top diplomat Rubio urges restraint

Earlier today, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir and urged both Pakistan and India to find ways to de-escalate, a US Department of State spokesperson said.

Rubio also offered US assistance in starting constructive talks in order to avoid future conflicts, the spokesperson said.

Additionally, US Secretary of State Rubio also contacted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, urging restraint amid the ongoing tensions with India.

Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada, citing sources, reported that Dar told his American counterpart Pakistan is ready to seek a resolution if India halts further action. However, he made it clear that if India continues its aggression, Pakistan will respond with even greater force.

'Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos'

Shortly after India launched unprovoked missile attacks on Pakistani airbases amid heightened tensions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the Pakistan army last night launched "Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos" and hit several Indian military sites, security sources said.

The latest escalation in the decades-old Pakistan-India rivalry began on May 7 when at least 31 civilians were killed in an unprovoked Indian cross-border attack. In retaliation, Pakistan downed five IAF fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones.

Pakistan strikes back

Shortly after the attack on the Pakistani airbases in the wee hours of Saturday, the Pakistan army launched its counter-attack in direct response to continuous provocations by India.

Security sources initially told Geo News that at least 11 sites in India were targeted, including the key Pathankot air base, Udhampur air base, Gujarat air base, Rajasthan air base and BrahMos storage site.

Furthermore, sources said that Pakistan targeted the Udhampur air base with a barrage of three missiles, which were the indigenously developed Fateh-1, with a range of 120kms.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan armed forces also destroyed an Indian Army brigade headquarters and the supply depot at Uri. On the other hand, a cyberattack reportedly disabled 70% of India's power grid, security sources added.

In another wave of strikes, the armed forces targeted and destroyed a second BrahMos storage site in Nagrota. An Indian Army artillery battery was also destroyed.

In a major success for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), hypersonic missiles fired by JF-17 Thunders destroyed India's S-400 system at Adampur airbase, security sources said. The airbase was also hit during the strike.

The S-400 air defence system is worth around $1.5 billion, considered India’s most advanced air defense shield.

In the later strikes, Pakistani armed forces also destroyed Bathinda, Halwara and Sirsa airfields, marking deeper penetration into Indian air defence zones.

Additionally, several Indian military posts along the Line of Control (LoC) were struck, resulting in significant material losses.

A strike on a high value Indian military intelligence centre in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was also confirmed, further disrupting India’s operational capabilities in the region.

Indian media also admitted Pakistani attacks on Indian air forces' bases in Pathankot, Poonch, and Jammu in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The Indian army has said that Pakistan employed a high-speed missile to target an airbase in Indian Punjab. It also admitted that Pakistan attempted 26 aerial incursions into Indian territory, and that India suffered damage of equipment and personnel at Indian military bases.

Moreover, security sources detailed the destruction of key enemy locations, including the Chhao Gali post in the Pandav sector and the Lal Jan post in the Lipa sector. Furthermore, sources indicate that the Salamabad post and the Sokajabra post were also targeted and destroyed by Pakistani forces.

On the other hand, the Indian military said that Pakistan is increasing its deployment of troops along the border.

Cyber attack

As part of its ongoing retaliatory operations, Pakistan has launched a sweeping cyberattack, hacking into several high-profile Indian websites, security sources said.

Among the targeted sites is the official website of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was taken down along with critical data.

The attack also affected the websites of the Crime Research Investigation Agency, Mahanagar Telecommunication Corporation Limited (MTCL), and Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) — a key supplier of military equipment to the Indian armed forces.

Additionally, the website of the All India Naval Technical Supervisory Staff Association was also breached, with hackers reportedly erasing its entire content.

A Pakistani cyber attack team also reportedly hacked into the systems of India's Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL).

According to sources familiar with the operation, the cyber assault led to a complete blackout across parts of the Maharashtra state, disrupting both commercial and domestic power supplies.

The attack is said to have also wiped data records, including those related to electricity meters for homes and businesses throughout the region. The extent of the damage and the time required for system restoration remain unclear.

On Friday night, India launched multiple missile attacks on Pakistani airbases, including the Nur Khan, Murid, and Shorkot airbases, which were fired from aircraft, according to Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry.

He further said that India had also targeted Afghanistan with missiles and carried out a drone strike in the region. “India is aggressively pushing the entire region towards war with its reckless actions,” he said during a media briefing.

DG ISPR assured that all assets of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) are secure. "All our assets are safe, and we are fully prepared for any response," the DG ISPR added.

'Exercise restraint'

The Group of Seven (G7) countries urged maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan and called on them to engage in direct dialogue amid rising hostilities.

In a statement released by Canada, the foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, US, UK and the European Union said they "strongly condemn" a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir on April 22 and "urge maximum restraint from both India and Pakistan."

"We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome," the G7 statement said.

Locked in a longstanding dispute over Kashmir, the two nuclear-armed neighbors have engaged in daily clashes since Wednesday when India launched strikes inside Pakistan.

India said the strikes were retaliation for the April 22 tourist attack that it blamed on Pakistan and for which Pakistan denies responsibility. Pakistan vowed to retaliate. Pakistan and India claim Kashmir in full but each controls only part.

— With additional input from Reuters.