The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India established contact via a hotline on Wednesday afternoon, marking their third such communication since both sides agreed to uphold a ceasefire facilitated by the United States and other friendly nations.
According to well-informed sources, the two senior military officials discussed the prevailing ground situation and mutually agreed to maintain the existing status quo, with the ceasefire holding “for the time being,” consistent with their prior discussion on Monday.
No official statement has been released by either side regarding the specifics of the conversation or its outcomes.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources informed The News that key global capitals remain actively engaged with both Islamabad and New Delhi, urging restraint and advocating for early confidence-building measures (CBMs) to pave the way for structured and high-level dialogue.
However, sources cautioned that the path toward a structured dialogue is intricate and will necessitate extensive preparatory work. Both governments will need to cultivate a politically favorable environment for such engagement.
To stabilize the fragile ceasefire, specific measures have already been mutually agreed upon. Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan, Additional Foreign Secretary and spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, is expected to brief the media on Friday (tomorrow), providing further insights into recent developments.
In a related development, diplomatic personnel recently declared persona non grata by both countries returned to their respective home countries on Tuesday, following orders to depart within a 24-hour timeframe.
Consequently, the staffing strength of the respective high commissions has been reduced to 29 officials each.
As the positions have not been formally abolished, new postings are anticipated once the host nations issue the necessary visas, likely by August, sources further indicated.
India and Pakistan concluded four days of intense military conflict last week, during which they deployed jets, missiles, and drones after New Delhi launched an attack on what it termed terrorist camps within Pakistan.
The Indian strike followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals.
Pakistan asserted that it had no involvement in the attack on the tourists, further stating that India’s strike was aimed at civilian targets.
