India and Pakistan military ops heads talks delayed

Saturday’s ceasefire followed four days of intense firing between both sides. (AFP pic)JAMMU: India and Pakistan have delayed talks between their military operations chiefs to discuss the next steps after a ceasefire until Monday evening, the Indian army said, as New Delhi reopened airports and shares rose in the nuclear-armed rivals.There were no reports of explosions or projectiles overnight, with the Indian army saying on Sunday it was the first peaceful night in recent days along their border, although some schools remain closed.Saturday’s ceasefire, announced by US President Donald Trump, followed four days of intense firing between the two sides and diplomacy and pressure from Washington.Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but claim it in full.India’s military sent a “hotline” message to Pakistan on Sunday about what it called its neighbour’s ceasefire violations the previous day, flagging New Delhi’s intent to respond to further such incidents, a top Indian army officer said.A spokesman for Pakistan’s military denied any violations.“In spite of some minor damage, all our military bases and systems continue to remain fully operational,” India’s director general of air operations, air marshal A.K. Bharti, told a media briefing.The Indian army said both sides’ director generals of military operations would speak by telephone in the evening, a delay from an initial timing of noon (0630 GMT), but gave no reason.Pakistan’s military media wing did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the talks.On Monday, India reopened 32 airports it had shut during the clashes, with the Airports Authority of India saying in a statement they were available for civil operations. Pakistan had reopened its airspace on Saturday.Visitors were kept out of an airport in the border city of Amritsar shortly after the announcement, a Reuters witness said.Dharmendra Singh, 34, a driver in the city sacred to Sikhs, said there was no fear among residents, though the situation was not as serious as in the northern city of Jammu.“It’s over now … it’s good to see the city coming back to its glory,” he said.The arch rivals had targeted each other’s military installations with missiles and drones, killing dozens of civilians as relations turned sour after India blamed Pakistan for an attack that killed 26 men.Pakistan denies the accusations and has called for a neutral investigation.India said it launched strikes on nine ‘terrorist infrastructure’ sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on Wednesday, but Islamabad has said those were civilian sites.Markets soarPakistan’s international bonds rallied sharply, adding as much as 5.7 cents in the dollar, Tradeweb data showed.Late on Friday, the International Monetary Fund approved a fresh US$1.4 billion loan and also the first review of its US$7 billion programme.Pakistan’s benchmark share index closed up 9.4% on Monday, while India’s blue-chip Nifty 50 index closed 3.8% higher in its best session since Feb 2021.While Islamabad has thanked Washington for facilitating the ceasefire and welcomed Trump’s offer to mediate in the Kashmir issue, New Delhi has not commented on US involvement in the truce or talks at a neutral site.India, which says disputes with Pakistan have to be resolved directly by the neighbours, has in the past rejected the involvement of any third party.“Kashmir is a bilateral issue, not an international issue,” Shilpak Ambule, India’s ambassador in Singapore, told Bloomberg TV. “For us, the word mediation does not work with the Kashmir issue.”In Beijing, the foreign ministry said China was willing to maintain communication with both its neighbours, and play a “constructive role in achieving a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire” and maintaining peace.India blames Pakistan for an insurgency in its part of Kashmir that began in 1989, but Pakistan says it provides only moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiri separatists.Some in the region remained concerned despite the ceasefire.“It is still scary,” said Padam, a traveller in a train from Jammu to New Delhi.“After blasts all over the city (Jammu), I am scared. I am going to stay in Delhi till I am sure the agreement is binding on Pakistan,” added Padam, who declined to give his second name.

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India and Pakistan military ops heads talks delayed

The talks, to discuss the next steps after a US-brokered ceasefire, would take place on Monday evening instead of noon.

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