Trump says US prevented ‘bad nuclear war’ between Pakistan, India; cites trade as a reason for stopping fight: Promising signs of peace amid border military talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India have agreed that both sides consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas.

It has been stated by India officially on Monday evening hours after the hotline conversation of the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries.

Major General Abdullah Kashif represented Pakistan while India was represented by Lt Gen Raive Gaih, respective DGMOs. The protocol forbids any country to divulge what transpired in the conversation except what has been agreed. Pakistan followed it and no detail was issued by it but Indians have given the details.

The Indian military did not use the word of “ceasefire” in the statement. “Talks between DGMOs were held at 5:00 pm. Issues related to continuing the commitment that both sides must not fire a single shot or initiate any aggressive and inimical action against each other were discussed,” the Indian military statement said. “It was also agreed that both sides consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas,” it added.

The nearly 45-minute talks took place two days after the two DGMOs reached an understanding on halting all military actions. The arrangement reached on May 10 after four days of intense hostilities that saw the two sides targeting each other’s military installations that raised fears of a wider military conflict.

The talks over the hotline were previously scheduled at 12 noon. However, it started at around 5 pm. Meanwhile, Pakistan has named the clashes with India from April 22 to May 10 as “Ma’arka-e-Haq” (Battle of Truth).

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operations on May 6 and May 10 were part of “Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.” Pakistan has also announced the successful completion of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.

Meanwhile, the ISPR released details of a 19-day military conflict with India, spanning April 22 to May 10, 2025, and formally named the operation ‘Marka-e-Haq’ (the battle of truth) that decisively shattered the hostile adversary’s self-claimed military pride.

In a statement, ISPR said that the conduct of Pakistan Armed Forces Operation “Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, on May 10 2025 as part of the military conflict “Marka-e-Haq”, was in response to Indian military’s dastardly attacks that began on the night between May 6 and 7. media

The military also extend appreciation to the diplomatic corps for effectively representing Pakistan’s just case on international fora with clarity and conviction. The ISPR statement also expressed gratitude to scientists and engineers for

Moving onto the retaliation, the military’s media wing said that Pakistan’s response was a textbook demonstration of integrated tri-services jointness, enabled by real-time situational awareness, network-centric warfare capabilities, and seamless multi-domain operations.

The Indian attacks resulted in the loss of innocent civilian lives, including women, children and the elderly, the military’s spokesperson said in a statement.

“Pakistan had vowed justice and retribution for the reprehensible Indian military aggression and brutal killings of our citizens. Alhamdulillah! Pakistan Armed Forces have delivered the promise made to our people,” the statement added.

It said: “No one should doubt that whenever Pakistan’s sovereignty is threatened and territorial integrity violated, the retributive response will be comprehensive and decisive.”

The military’s media wing maintained that the armed forces thank Allah Almighty for His infinite blessings, mercy, help and divine support.

“Allah has ordained the believers to retaliate whenever they are wronged. We bow our heads to Him in utmost humility for enabling us to translate our resolve into decisive actions on the battlefield.”

The military said that their hearts and sympathies were with the wards and families of the Shuhada who sacrificed their lives for the country, adding that they pray for the quick recovery of the injured countrymen.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to every officer, soldier, airman and sailor of the armed forces of Pakistan who made this success on the battlefield possible through their courage, professionalism, and sacrifice,” read the statement.

It maintained that the armed forces express their profound appreciation and gratitude to the brave Pakistani nation, whose unwavering moral strength, resolve, and above all, wholehearted support and prayers remained with them during these trying times. This support was indeed the most potent force multiplier for the armed forces of Pakistan, the statement added.

“We are especially indebted to the youth of Pakistan, who became frontline soldiers as the cyber and information warriors of the country,” the ISPR stated, adding that profound gratitude was also due to the vibrant media of Pakistan, which stood like “Bunyan-um-Marsoos”, a steel wall against the Indian media’s dis-information blitz and reckless war-mongering.

The military also extend appreciation to the diplomatic corps for effectively representing Pakistan’s just case on international fora with clarity and conviction.

The ISPR statement also expressed gratitude to scientists and engineers for developing indigenous and specialised niche technologies that were instrumental in the magnificent success of the operation.

It said that the armed forces were extremely grateful to the political leadership of all political parties, without any distinction, for the show of unified resolve in our support for the defence of our motherland.

The armed forces are specifically grateful to the inspiring leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his cabinet members for taking destiny-altering decisions for the country and steering it through this critical situation, as per the statement.

Moving onto the retaliation, the military’s media wing said that Pakistan’s response was a textbook demonstration of integrated tri-services jointness, enabled by real-time situational awareness, network-centric warfare capabilities, and seamless multi-domain operations.

This synergy across air, land, sea, and cyber domains allowed for precision engagement, overwhelming lethality, and lightning operational tempo, it said, adding that all platforms operated in synergy, delivering coordinated effects at carefully selected decisive points.

Using precision-guided long-range Fatah series missiles F1 and F2 of Pakistan Army, the ISPR said that precision munitions of PAF, highly capable long-range loitering killer munitions, and precision long-range artillery, 26 military targets as well as facilities that were used to target Pakistani citizens, and those enterprises that were responsible for fomenting terrorism in Pakistan, were engaged in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) and also mainland India.

“The targets included air force and aviation bases at Suratgarh, Sirsa, Bhuj, Naliya, Adampur, Bhatinda, Barnala, Halwara, Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Udhampur, Mamun, Ambala, and Pathankot, all of which sustained major damages.”

BrahMos storage facilities at Beas and Nagrota were also destroyed, which had fired missiles on Pakistan, killing innocent civilians, including women, children and the elderly.

The ISPR said that the S-400 missile battery systems at Adampur and Bhuj were also attacked and effectively neutralised by the PAF.

Military logistics and support sites, which helped sustain this unlawful operation against innocent Pakistani civilians, like Field Supply Depot at Uri and Radar Station at Poonch, were also targeted.

“Military Command Headquarters, which helped plan the operational killing of our innocent citizens, especially the children, including 10 Bde and 80 Bde at KG Top and Naushera, were completely destroyed.”

The military said that the facilities which harboured, trained, and capacitated proxy elements that perpetrated terrorist attacks inside Pakistan and killed innocent civilians were specifically identified and destroyed. These include intelligence units and their forward field elements at Rajauri and Naushera.

Across the LOC, military elements including HQs, logistic bases, artillery positions, and posts that had caused civilian casualties in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) through unprovoked artillery and small arms fire were relentlessly targeted and heavily damaged, until they raised white flags and asked for restraint, the military said.

The ISPR said India used drones to violate Pakistani airspace to intimidate our civilians and spread fear.

“All through Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, dozens of Pakistani armed drones hovered over Indian major cities and sensitive political and government facilities—including their capital New Delhi—and from Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir all the way to Gujarat to clearly manifest our lethal long-range unmanned capability, indicating the futility of the use of this domain in warfare.”

It said that the Pakistan Armed Forces also carried out comprehensive and effective cyber operations to temporarily cripple and degrade critical infrastructure and services that were being used by Indian armed forces to sustain their operations.

Pakistan Armed Forces possess an ‘adequate’ suite of very sophisticated ‘niche military technologies’, and only a limited number and type were used with restraint in this conflict, read the statement.

Despite all this, compared to Indian relentless provocations, Pakistan’s military response has been precise, proportionate, and still remarkably restrained, the ISPR said, adding that it was carefully calibrated to avoid civilian casualties and exclusively targeted those entities and facilities which were directly involved in orchestrating and executing the cold-blooded killings of Pakistani civilians and those carrying out terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.

The military said that Pakistan also sustained an abnormal and immediate spike in Indian-sponsored terrorism across KP and Balochistan while its armed forces were busy in operations on the eastern front. This further vindicates that India is directly involved in fomenting terrorism in Pakistan, and its proxies were fully operationalised during this time to distract our attention, he added.

The military’s spokesperson said that resilient armed forces of Pakistan carried out most effective counter-terrorism operations in the western region without any pause simultaneously with the conduct of Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.

“Marka-e-Haq has been a great example of the synergy between all elements of national power, with overwhelming support of the Pakistani public, to effectively counter the threat to our national sovereignty and territorial integrity, it added.

“Pakistan Armed Forces thank and salute the Pakistani nation for its courage, resilience, and fervour during this conflict, the military’s spokesperson said. At the conclusion, the ISPR quoted a verse from the Holy Quran (Surah Anfal), which translates as: “They plan and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced to celebrate May 10 as Marka-e-Haq Day every year to mark the success of operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.

In a statement on Monday, the prime minister said the day will be celebrated every year with enthusiasm and spirit of national unity as the professional capabilities of brave forces have made the nation proud.

He also announced to celebrate the upcoming Friday, May 16, as a day to pay tribute to the Armed Forces for leading Pakistan to a grand victory on the defence front and to offer gratitude to the Allah Almighty.

He said special thanksgiving prayers will be offered, for the development of the country and the nation.

He also announced package for the innocent Pakistanis affected due to unprovoked Indian aggression and package for Shuhdaa of Marka-e-Haq. According to the statement, the heirs of Pakistani citizens, martyred during the Indian aggression will get Rs10 million while the injured will be given one to two million rupees.

The prime minister said heirs of the martyrs of the Pakistan Armed Forces will be given Rs10 to 18 million, depending on rank, while their injured will be given two to five million rupees.

He also announced Rs19 million to Rs42 million depending on their ranks for provision of home facility to the heirs of martyrs of the armed forces.

The full salary of martyrs of the armed forces will continue with allowances until the date of their retirement while the children of martyrs will be given free education till graduation.

A marriage grant of one million rupees will also be given for the marriage of one daughter of every martyr of the armed forces.

The prime minister said that the federal government will rebuild houses and mosques affected by the Indian attack.

He said it is the responsibility of the federal government to support the children of martyrs and it will fulfill this duty while it will also bear all the expenses for the treatment of the injured.

Shehbaz said services rendered by those who have protected and defended the honour and glory of Pakistan on any front will be acknowledged at the national level and they will be awarded with honors.

Meanwhile, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir has said that the entire nation stands in resolute solidarity with every member of its Armed Forces, underscoring that no hostile design can erode the determination of the Armed Forces of Pakistan.

The COAS visited Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalpindi to inquire after soldiers and innocent civilians wounded during Marka-e-Haq/ Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos.

During the visit, the COAS individually met the injured personnel, lauded their exceptional bravery and steadfast devotion to duty, and reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of the Pakistan Armed Forces to their continued care, rehabilitation and welfare.

The COAS noted that the resolute and unified response exhibited during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, in concert with the steadfast support of the Pakistani people, constitutes a defining chapter in the country’s military history.

“Our civilians’ and soldiers’ valour and sacrifice form the cornerstone of Pakistan’s security. The entire nation stands in resolute solidarity with every member of its Armed Forces,” the COAS said.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that US intervention prevented a “bad nuclear war” between Pakistan and India, after the South Asian rivals agreed a ceasefire following a series of clashes.

“We stopped a nuclear conflict. I think it could have been a bad nuclear war, millions of people could have been killed. So I’m very proud of that,” Trump.

Trump also said the United States is ready to help Pakistan and India in the wake of a ceasefire agreement that he says his administration helped broker.

Trade is a big reason why they stopped fighting, he said at an event at the White House. Meanwhile, immediately after the announcement of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India, world capitals reached out to Islamabad heaving a sigh that the two nuclear armed neighbors had stepped back for the brink.

In this regard Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Al-Malkiy called on the Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar.

“They discussed full gamut of bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen already existing fraternal relations across all sectors,” said the Foreign Office.

Saudi Arabia played a big part in ensuring that both Pakistan and India deescalated as both countries carried out strikes against each other. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy telephoned Foreign Minister Dar and both leaders discussed latest developments in the region.

David Lammy appreciated Pakistan’s efforts towards maintaining regional peace. Foreign Minister of Australia Senator Penny Wong in a telephone call was informed by FM Dar that Pakistan had shown restraint throughout the crisis and only exercised its right to self-defense, in line with the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan would continue to work in a responsible manner for maintaining regional peace and security.

Senator Penny Wong expressed concern over the situation and conveyed condolences over the loss of innocent lives, including those in the Jaffar Express attack.

“She welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India and expressed hope it would lead to lasting peace,” said the Foreign Office. Dar also held a telephonic conversation with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean-Noël Barrot.

FM Dar informed him that Pakistan had shown restraint throughout the crisis and only exercised its right to self-defence, in line with the UN Charter and international law. Pakistan would continue to work in a responsible manner for maintaining regional peace and security.

Barrot conveyed condolences over the loss of innocent lives and welcomed the ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India, and emphasised the need for both sides to exercise restraint. Both leaders agreed to maintain close contact, including through multilateral fora.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution, commending the Pakistan Armed Forces for their exemplary professionalism, vigilance and courage in defending the sovereignty of Pakistan in response to unprovoked Indian aggression.

The resolution, moved by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, also commended armed forces’ exceptional restraint and responsibility as well as a measured and a befitting response to the Indian aggression.

The National Assembly at the same time reiterated Pakistan’s pledge to the regional and global peace with dignity and honour, while underscoring that democracies are committed to dialogue not conflict. “Secure neighbourhood and long-term stability in South Asia can only be achieved through sincere and structured negotiations,” the resolution said.

Stressing the importance of ensuring the full implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, and affirming the safeguarding of Pakistan’s water rights as a critical component of national security, the House resolved to continue to play its constitutional role in safeguarding national interest and promoting peace, unity and security for the people of Pakistan, and the people living in the region.

It urged the international community in efforts to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people and the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The National Assembly also paid rich tribute to the brave martyrs, who laid down their lives in defence of the motherland and solemnly acknowledged their supreme sacrifice as a symbol of national pride, resilience and unity.

The House, through the resolution, bowed its head in all humility before Allah Almighty for granting the Pakistani nation the dignity and honour in defending the motherland’s territorial integrity against the naked Indian aggression.

The House congratulated the entire nation, which rose above all differences and stood united behind its leadership across the political spectrum with one voice, Pakistan. The resolution expressed sincere gratitude to the friendly countries for their support to Pakistan at this critical juncture.