New Delhi: The understanding between the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan Saturday to stop the military action does not impact the punitive diplomatic measures imposed in response to the deadly Pahalgam attack by New Delhi on Islamabad, such as holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, ThePrint has learnt.
Government sources told ThePrint that “there is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place,” while pointing out that the understanding was reached between the two DGMOs during a call initiated by Islamabad.
However, hours after the announcement, there were reports of drones over parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Haramilal area of Kutch, Gujarat, and at least six districts of Punjab. A senior government official told ThePrint, “Pakistan violates bilateral agreement with India for cessation of action against Indian forces.”
In the days after the Pahalgam attack, apart from putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, India announced a raft of other punitive measures, including the expulsion of three defence advisers from Islamabad’s mission in New Delhi, the annulment of their posts, the closure of the Attari border, and revocation of visas for Pakistani nationals. All these measures remain in effect.
Around 6 pm Saturday, at a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced, “The Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan called the Director General of Military Operations of India at 1535 hours IST earlier today. It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea with effect from 1700 hours Indian Standard Time today.”
“Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to the understanding.”
This statement, which came after announcements from US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, was the only statement not to call it a ceasefire.
Misri said the next call between the two DGMOs will be held on 12 May at 12 pm.
For India, the sources said, the understanding with Pakistan revolves solely around the military efforts undertaken by both countries.
On 24 April, India notified Pakistan of its decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance with “immediate effect” in part due to the “sustained cross-border terrorism” emanating from Islamabad, targeting Jammu and Kashmir. The treaty endured various conflicts, including 1965, 1971 and 1999, and over three decades of terrorist attacks emanating from Pakistan.
Prior to this, India had been calling on Pakistan to renegotiate the terms of the treaty, first signed in 1960, highlighting “significantly altered population demographics” and the need to boost renewable energy production as a part of the changes in the “assumptions underlying the sharing of waters under the treaty”. Islamabad had not responded to these requests.
On the intervening night of 6 and 7 May, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror complexes across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people. It was one of the deadliest attacks against civilians in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years.
Since then, Pakistan has carried out a series of attacks with drones and loitering munitions. According to the Union government, India has responded to these “provocations” with equal “intensity”. Early Saturday, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyan un Marsoos, targeting military installations in Jammu, Kashmir and Punjab.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)