India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire on Saturday, unexpectedly halting the worst fighting in decades between the nuclear-armed neighbors, just when their tit-for-tat strikes appeared to be spiraling out of control.
Although US President Donald Trump was the first to announce the ceasefire and claimed credit for it, contradictory accounts have emerged about the extent of US involvement in the agreement.
Just hours after the announcement there have been reports of violations from both sides, raising questions about how long it will last. India’s Ministry of Information said the agreement was worked out “directly between the two countries,” downplaying US involvement and contradicting Trump’s claim. The ministry also said there was “no decision” to hold further talks. But Pakistani officials have heaped praise on Washington.
“We thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A Pakistani source familiar with the negotiations told CNN that the US – and Rubio in particular – was instrumental in striking the deal, painting a picture of talks that were in doubt right until the truce was confirmed. It should not be surprising that these bitter rivals have given contradictory accounts of how the ceasefire was reached.
India, which views itself as an ascendant superpower, has long been resistant to international mediation, whereas Pakistan, which is heavily dependent on foreign aid, tends to welcome it, analysts say. “India has never accepted mediation in any dispute, be it India-Pakistan or India-China, or any other,” said Dr. Aparna Pande, research fellow for India and South Asia at the Hudson Institute, a think-tank in Washington, DC.
“Pakistan, on the other hand, has always sought international mediation so they will praise it,” she added, saying it is “the only way it can put pressure on India to discuss and resolve the Kashmir dispute.” The fighting before Saturday’s ceasefire was marked by claims, counterclaims and disinformation from both sides. Now that the conflict has paused, both sides are ramping up their efforts to shape perceptions of what the fighting achieved and how it ended. Although India and Pakistan have stepped back from the brink for now, it remains to be seen whether the ceasefire will hold.
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of repeatedly violating the ceasefire agreement on Saturday, after explosions were heard in both the India- and Pakistan-administered parts of Kashmir. Pakistan also accused India of committing violations but stressed it “remains committed to a faithful implementation of the ceasefire.”
In the wake of the tourist massacre, the two announced a host of other reprisals: suspending visas, banning trade, while India suspended its participation in a crucial water-sharing pact. It is unclear yet whether such moves will be reversed.
Source: Here