After India successfully destroyed Pakistan's air bases, Islamabad realised India’s resolve and 'sued for peace' by requesting a cessation of hostilities, news agency PTI reported, quoting government sources as saying on Sunday. They also emphasised that no third-party intervention was needed.
The sources further said that 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.
India's fierce attacks forced Islamabad to urge New Delhi to end the hostilities
"The Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan reached an understanding and no third party was involved," said the sources.
"India's precision strikes using an array of weapon systems and missiles on 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 added.
According to the sources, 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.
The understanding came after a series of retaliatory military actions between India and Pakistan, including India's "Operation Sindoor," which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan's Punjab province. The operation resulted in the deaths of over 100 terrorists, including key figures from Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
India's attacks on the Pakistani installations
According to sources, the Indian armed forces launched a strong counter-attack on several Pakistani military installations, including Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian, on Saturday morning. Radar sites at Pasrur and Sialkot aviation base were also targeted using precision munitions, causing massive damage, they added.
This came after India's strikes on nine terror infrastructures early on May 7. In response, Pakistan attempted to attack several Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Pakistani actions on the night of May 9-10 were reportedly the most intense.
Following India's retaliation, Pakistan requested a cessation of hostilities, with its Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) reaching out to his Indian counterpart. The understanding on halting military actions was firmed up by the two DGMOs.
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.
(With PTI inputs)
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