India

Air India flight crashes in Ahmedabad with more than 240 people on board

Jun 12, 2025 
An Air India plane bound for London with more than 240 people on board has crashed in India's western city of Ahmedabad. 

The plane went down minutes after taking off from the airport.

It struggled to take flight and then crash landed directly into a medical college hostel close to the airport, killing many medical students.  

Al Jazeera’s Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff reports.

Indian-Administered Kashmir devastated after deadly cross-border strikes, residents call for help

May 15, 2025
Border villages in Indian-administered Kashmir are reeling from the aftermath of the worst cross-border violence in decades. More than 60 people were killed in recent clashes between Indian and Pakistani forces, triggered by an attack on tourists in the region. New Delhi blames Pakistan-based groups, an accusation Islamabad strongly denies.

Al Jazeera’s Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff reports from Jammu, in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Thousands of Kashmiris remain displaced despite India-Pakistan ceasefire
 
May 11, 2025
A ceasefire between India and Pakistan has brought relief, but civilians who fled cross-border fighting in Indian-administered Kashmir are still wary of returning to their homes.

Calm returns to cities in Indian-administered Kashmir as ceasefire holds

May 11, 2025  
There's been a unsettled start to a ceasefire between India and Pakistan.

Just a few hours after a truce was announced on Saturday both sides accused each other of violations.

In the last few hours there's been relative calm in both Indian and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

Since Wednesday more than 60 people have been killed.

Al Jazeera’s Umar Mehraj is in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, seeing how people are reacting to the truce and Kamal Hyder is in Islamabad, Pakistan with political reaction from there.

Michael Shoebridge, director of think tank Strategic Analysis Australia, says India and Pakistan were ready for a truce, because both sides “feel like they claim victory”.

PM Sharif says Kashmir dispute with India will be resolved

UK PM Starmer says ceasefire must be ‘lasting’

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the ceasefire between India and Pakistan must now be made “enduring and lasting”.

Speaking to the BBC, Starmer confirmed the UK has been “engaged” in talks with both sides “for some days” in a bid to de-escalate the recent surge in violence.

“I’m pleased to see today that there’s a ceasefire,” he said. “The task now is to make sure that that is enduring and is lasting.”

His comments come amid reports of renewed skirmishes along the border.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy “played a key role in this process”, adding several countries were involved in facilitating the agreement.

No ceasefire violations reported so far, says Pakistan minister

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has told Geo News there have been no violations of the ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan.

The statement comes amid growing concerns over stability along the Line of Control.

It follows reports of explosions and gunfire in parts of Indian-administered Kashmir – despite both nations announcing a full and immediate ceasefire just hours earlier.

Pakistanis celebrate in Karachi, Hyderabad

Violations have already threatened today’s ceasefire announcement.

Still, the agreement has sparked hope and celebrations in both India and Pakistan. Earlier, Pakistanis took to the streets in Karachi and Hyderabad, among other cities, to celebrate.

Reported violations underscore fragility of India-Pakistan conflict

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Sahar Khan, a security analyst based in Washington, DC, says reported truce violations underscore just how tenuous peace along the Line of Control between Pakistan and India remains.

She noted the most recent fighting broke a ceasefire agreement reached in 2021, the most substantial since 2003.

“This is still a very delicate and fragile ceasefire, but I think most people on the ground are relieved to see it,” Khan said. “The ceasefire agreement negotiated in 2021, which came into effect in 2023, was still really fragile. So I think while this is good news, I do expect to see some back and forth on this.”

Pakistan ‘adamant’ it is not violating the ceasefire

Osama Bin Javaid, Reporting from Lahore, Pakistan

This is a precarious ceasefire. It’s a ceasefire on the Line of Control that has been aflame for the last few days. It will take time for it to take effect and especially in the congested Kashmiri region where the posture has been in a standoff condition.

It will take time for both the militaries to climb down that ladder. On the Indian side, villagers are reporting cross-border fire. And on the Pakistani side, we’re hearing the exact same.

There are border posts along the Line of Control with conflicting reports by both sides of installations being captured. So, in the fog of war, it’s unclear. According to some officials we spoke to, it will take time and require patience on both sides.

Pakistan is adamant it is not violating the ceasefire. Officials tell us they want this to be de-escalation, and if India carries out another aggression, they’ll be ready to respond.

China ready to play ‘constructive role’ in India-Pakistan de-escalation

Chinese state news agency Xinhua has reported more details from Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s call with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar earlier.

The Chinese diplomat said Beijing remains “willing to continue playing a constructive role” in the ceasefire process.

China remains concerned about any escalation in the conflict given that it shares borders with both countries, he said.

As we reported earlier, the foreign minister also told Dar that Beijing continues to support Pakistan’s sovereignty.

PM Sharif says Kashmir dispute with India will be resolved

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says he believes the long-running dispute over Kashmir and water-sharing with India will be resolved.

“For the benefit of everybody, we have made this agreement of ceasefire and we have been very positive about it,” he said in a televised address.

Sharif accused India of killing civilians and targeting mosques with drone and missile attacks in recent weeks, calling claims against Pakistan “baseless”.

“If anyone challenges Pakistan’s independence,” Sharif warned, “we will do anything to defend it.”

He praised US President Donald Trump for playing a “pivotal and paramount role” in brokering the ceasefire, and thanked Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the UK, UN, and China.

Still unclear if India has agreed to talks with Pakistan

Reporting from New Delhi, Al Jazeera’s Um-E-Kulsoom Shariff says “optimism around the ceasefire was short-lived” as India accused Pakistan of ceasefire violations.

She added it’s still not confirmed if India has agreed to talks with Pakistan at a “neutral site” as claimed by the United States.

“There’s no official word whether India has agreed to those talks. The official word is only that India has agreed to the ceasefire, and now India is accusing Pakistan of ceasefire violations,” she said.

Qatar hails India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement

In a statement, Qatar’s foreign ministry says the ceasefire “reflects the wisdom of both Pakistan and India”.

It added that it also shows “their commitment to peace and the resolution of all outstanding issues through constructive dialogue which paves the way for comprehensive, mutually agreed, and sustainable solutions that will enhance security and stability in the region”.

Qatar also thanked the Trump administration for “facilitating this agreement”.

What do we know about reported violations?

Explosions were heard in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, with projectiles seen in the air.

There were reports of similar situations across the region, with a source telling Al Jazeera that Pakistan’s airspace had been breached.

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri later accused Pakistan of “repeated violations”, saying the military had been advised to “deal strongly” with any breaches.

However, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar told Geo News it had not violated the new agreement.

Ceasefire offers chance for lasting peace

Paul Staniland, South Asia expert and a professor of political science at the University of Chicago, says the ceasefire is “a clear signal of de-escalation and will hopefully end the direct fighting for the near future”.

“Ideally, this leads to a new period of relative stability and quiet in the region,” he said. “It is certainly possible the ceasefire will hold since the two countries had entered risky and costly territory that they will probably not be in a hurry to revisit quickly.”

Staniland said India would largely resist crediting the Trump administration for the truce and ignore broad talks on issues such as Kashmir.

Bangladesh welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire

The Bangladesh government’s chief adviser, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has welcomed the breakthrough agreement between India and Pakistan to immediately cease hostilities.

“I most sincerely commend Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi of India and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan for agreeing to a ceasefire with immediate effect and to engage in talks,” Yunus said in a post on X

“I would also like to express my deep appreciation to President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio for their effective mediation. Bangladesh will continue to support our two neighbours to resolve differences through diplomacy.”

Residents describe damage from Kashmir attacks

Shesh Paul Vaid, the region’s former top police official and Jammu resident, said, “It looks like a war here.”

Buildings were destroyed or damaged in Indian-administered Kashmir, where powerful blasts ripped off roofs, windows and walls and left homes riddled with holes.

Vaid said explosions were heard from areas with military bases, adding it appeared army sites were targeted. Residents living near Srinagar’s airport, which is also an airbase, said they were rattled by the explosions and booming sound of jets.

“I was already awake, but the explosions jolted my kids out of their sleep. They started crying,” said Srinagar resident Mohammed Yasin.

Pakistan says it remains committed to ceasefire with India

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry says the country “remains committed to a faithful implementation of the ceasefire” announced with India earlier amid accusations of violations along the Line of Control.

In a statement responding to comments made by India’s foreign secretary, Pakistan accused India of committing breaches of the truce “in some areas”.

“Notwithstanding the violations being committed by India in some areas, our forces are handling the situation with responsibility and restraint,” it said.

Pakistan also called for both sides to address any issues through dialogue and encouraged ground troops to avoid escalation.

“We believe that any issues in smooth implementation of the ceasefire should be addressed through communication at appropriate levels. The troops on ground should also exercise restraint.”

UAE’s top diplomat speaks with Indian, Pakistani counterparts

Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed spoke with India’s Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar.

He “commended the wisdom of both sides in agreeing to a ceasefire, which would benefit the security and stability of both countries, their people, and the South Asian region”, the Foreign Ministry said.

The UAE is a main destination for Pakistani and Indian workers and maintains close ties with both countries.

UN General Assembly president welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire

The president of the United Nations General Assembly, Philemon Yang, has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan.

“It is a meaningful step towards de-escalation reflecting the commitment of both nations to regional peace and stability,” Yang said in a post on X.

Yang also urged both countries to continue engaging in diplomacy to resolve their differences through peaceful means.

“I urge continued diplomatic efforts and dialogue to resolve differences and achieve lasting peace and stability in line with the UN Charter and international law,” he said.

India-Pakistan fighting ‘a wake-up call’

People in Pakistan expressed satisfaction over the ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan following international  mediation efforts.

“India came late better than never. It came to senses that war is not solution of the problem. The solution of the problem is only peace and table talk and issues could be resolved through negotiations,” said Rakesh Modiani, a Pakistani citizen.

“I think international community like our neighbours – China, Saudi Arabia and America – did a remarkable role to make a peace deal and ceasefire.”

Ikram Sehgal, a retired army officer and defence analyst, called the fighting “a wake-up call”.

“We cannot accept Hindu domination and we do not want to dominate Hindus. We want to live at peace. At the end of the day, yes, we must talk to each other once the military situation has been brought to an end.”

Trump administration has not responded to reported violations

Mike Hanna, Reporting from Washington, DC

The Trump administration has not responded to reports of ceasefire violations. Instead, the administration has spent the day passing self-congratulatory messages, beginning with President Trump early this morning, who announced the ceasefire in a message on his social media.

There were questions among observers as to why it was President Trump who actually was first to announce a ceasefire. What he meant by the phrase “great intelligence”, apportioning this to the Indian and Pakistani leaders.

Some are questioning whether he was referring to tangible intelligence that could have provided leverage for the US mediation, or whether he was simply using it as a figure of speech.

Vice President JD Vance also congratulated the US secretary of state and the president. Only 24 hours ago, he was saying the US was not going to get involved in the conflict and would have no part in it whatsoever.

Flights resume at India’s Gwalior airport

Civilian and commercial flight operations have resumed at India’s Gwalior’s Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport.

“All scheduled flights from Gwalior airport resumed operations from Saturday onwards, as the flight to and from all three major destinations – Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai – have resumed,” the airport’s director, Kashinath Yadav, told local Indian media.

It comes after flights were suspended for three days after rising tension between India and Pakistan.

Earlier, we reported that Pakistan announced it reopened its airspace as the ceasefire went into effect. According to flight-tracking tool AirNav Radar, flights have resumed into Islamabad International Airport.

Attacks after the truce expected ‘settle down’

Irfan Nooruddin, a professor of Indian politics at Georgetown University, says despite reported ceasefire violations, it’s a victory that both sides agreed to a truce, with the situation looking increasingly bleak just 24 hours ago.

“I think both sides are committed. This a not a winnable war for either side. There’s no clear military objective. I think they want the ceasefire to stick. There’s obviously actors on both sides that may not have gotten that message yet,” Nooruddin told Al Jazeera.

“It’s regrettable that there has already been breaches, but I suspect things will settle down and the ceasefire will hold for a while.”

Turkiye welcomes ceasefire between Pakistan, India

Turkiye welcomed the declaration of a ceasefire between Pakistan and India.

“We call on the parties to make maximum use of the opportunity provided by the ceasefire to establish a direct and healthy dialogue,” a Foreign Ministry statement said.

“Mechanisms for dialogue, notably in counter-terrorism, must be developed to prevent future escalations and promote lasting stability in South Asia.”

It also expressed Turkiye’s gratitude to all countries, especially the US, that made contributions in reaching the ceasefire.

Pakistan PM says ceasefire deal ‘marks a new beginning’

Chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir says ‘explosions heard’ in Srinagar

Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, has reported a potential break in the ceasefire.

“What the hell just happened to the ceasefire? Explosions heard across Srinagar!!!” he wrote in a post on X.

It was not immediately clear what the source of the reported explosions was.

We will bring you more information as we get it.

Srinagar residents confirm explosions

A number of residents in Srinagar have told Al Jazeera that they heard multiple loud explosions in the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Parts of the city, meanwhile, have been hit by an electricity blackout.

As we previously reported, local Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on social media a short while ago that explosions were “heard across Srinagar”.

Srinagar-based journalist reports explosions, projectiles

Speaking to Al Jazeera from Srinagar, journalist Umar Mehraj says he heard explosions and saw projectiles in the sky.

“We’re also hearing the loud explosions in Srinagar, similar to what was heard early Saturday and in the afternoon. Air sirens are all across, and there’s a power shutdown,” he said.

“I can see projectiles flying, projectiles in the sky. It’s very unclear if they are missiles or air defence intercepting these attacks. Similar reports of the explosions are being heard in Baramulla and Jammu,” said Mehraj.

“The situation on the ground is very tense after these loud explosions. Everyone ran for safety,” he said, adding he could not confirm if there were any casualties.

‘This is no ceasefire’: Top Indian-administered Kashmir official

Minutes after reporting the sound of explosions in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, has shared a video online with the following caption: “This is no ceasefire. The air defence units in the middle of Srinagar just opened up.”

Truce first important step out of the escalation spiral: Germany

Germany has welcomed as a first step the ceasefire agreed to by India and Pakistan after days of deadly attacks.

“The ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan is a first, important step out of the escalation spiral. Dialogue is key,” the German foreign office said in a post.

Explosions in Srinagar cause panic, fear

The latest explosions in Srinagar have plunged residents back into fear and uncertainty.

“There was a moment of relief when the ceasefire was announced,” Madiha Farooq, who lives in the capital of Indian-administered Kashmir, told Al Jazeera.

“Our extended family had just gathered for tea to feel some normalcy. But suddenly, loud blasts shook the air. We panicked, turned off the lights, and huddled together in a corner.”

Electricity was cut off across multiple localities, adding to the confusion. With no official clarification on the nature of the blasts, some residents described feeling “abandoned and unprepared”.

“These were not like the earlier sounds,” said another Srinagar resident. “One of the blasts was so powerful it made the walls tremble. Authorities are not clarifying what is going on; we do not have any shelters, nor did we hear any sirens. We do not know what to do. There is only fear.”

How did the fighting begin?

The ceasefire comes after four days of attacks and counter-attacks by both sides that killed at least 60 people and saw thousands of civilians flee their homes along their border as well as in divided Kashmir.
    
The fighting was touched off by an attack last month in the Indian-administered side of Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, mostly Hindu men, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad.
    
India accused the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba – a UN-designated terrorist organisation – of carrying out the attack, but Islamabad has denied any involvement and called for an independent probe.
    
Armed groups have stepped up attacks in Kashmir since 2019, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu-nationalist government revoked its limited autonomy and took the state under direct rule from New Delhi.
    
The countries have fought several wars over the territory, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of Kashmir since gaining independence from British rule in 1947.

Reported violations a reminder of how precarious ceasefire remains

Osama Bin Javaid, Reporting from Lahore, Pakistan

People are welcoming the ceasefire, but we are also reminded how precarious it is.

Ceasefire violations are already happening across the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region.

We’ve been hearing from local sources that there has been an exchange of fire in multiple locations in the Kashmir region, and there are some projectiles that have entered the Pakistani airspace as well.

So all in all, the United States is saying the ceasefire is a welcome move, and these two countries are going to try to patch up their differences and work towards a wider solution.

But the ground reality is that in order for any of it to work, the guns must fall silent.

Pakistan PM says ceasefire deal ‘marks a new beginning’

In an earlier post on X, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has framed today’s ceasefire as the beginning of a wider movement towards stability in the region.

“Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability,” he wrote.

He also stressed the role of the Trump administration in the ceasefire, thanking not only the US president for his “leadership and proactive role”, but also Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio.

“Pakistan appreciates the United States for facilitating this outcome, which we have accepted in the interest of regional peace and stability,” he said.

Anti-aircraft gunfire after drone spotted over Pakistan’s Peshawar: Report

The Associated Press is quoting residents as seeing a drone over the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, prompting authorities to activate air defences.

A reporter heard anti-aircraft gunfire, but it remained unclear who operated the drone, the news agency said.

There was no immediate comment from Pakistani officials.

Blackout in India’s Kutch district after drones spotted

A complete blackout will be implemented in the Kutch district of Gujarat state in western India after drones were seen in the sky, according to Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi.

Multiple explosions were heard in two big cities of Indian-administered Kashmir hours after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire deal.

Cross-border shelling and gunfire were also reported from at least five places along the Line of Control, a de facto frontier that divides disputed Kashmir between two nuclear-armed nations.

Here are the latest developments

Apparent violations of the ceasefire have been reported just hours after it went into effect, with explosions heard and projectiles seen in Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir and elsewhere.
    
Citizens on the ground have expressed panic and fear, with sources telling Al Jazeera that projectiles also entered Pakistan’s airspace.
    
Still, Pakistan’s prime minister says he hopes the ceasefire will represent a new path to wider regional stability.
    
International reaction has continued to roll in about the ceasefire, with UN chief Antonio Guterres saying he hoped it would lead to “lasting peace”.

UN chief hopes India-Pakistan ceasefire will contribute to ‘lasting peace’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling it a “positive step” that should lead to peace, according to his spokesperson.

Guterres “hopes the agreement will contribute to lasting peace and foster an environment conducive to addressing broader, longstanding issues between the two countries”, Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

Ceasefire ‘only a first step’, say South Asia peace campaigners at London vigil

Demonstrators have held a vigil in London, welcoming the ceasefire but also calling for more action towards lasting peace.

The protesters who gathered at Parliament Square held placards reading “United against war”, “We stand with Kashmir” and “Diaspora, say no to war”.

“We’ve got families in India and Kashmir and Pakistan, we’ve got friends who we’ve been very, very worried about in recent days, so there’s definitely something to celebrate,” Kalpana Wilson, of the South Asia Solidarity Group, which organised the protest, told the crowd.

“But we are also coming together to demand a real, meaningful peace – a ceasefire can only be a first step,” Wilson added, calling for de-escalation and the reinstatement of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Kashmir residents monitor projectiles in the sky

Projectiles have been seen in the sky over Srinagar just hours after a Pakistan-India ceasefire was announced.

Reporters on the ground say residents in the city in Indian-administered Kashmir have been anxiously monitoring the situation.

So far, there has been no reports of casualties and it’s unclear if any projectiles have landed.

‘Nobody wants war’: Indian-administered Kashmir residents react to ceasefire

Anas Khan, a resident of Kupwara, said he found out about the ceasefire via Trump’s tweet.

“We are happy to see this. This is a good thing. Nobody wants war. No solution could be found with war,” he said.

“It is only through dialogue. Talks and dialogue are the only way to find a solution.”

Nazram Ali, another resident of the city in Indian-administered Kashmir, also weighed in.

“We were facing a lot of troubles in the last four-five days due to the cross-border shelling,” he said.

“The whole village was tense and troubled. From children to the elderly, everyone stayed indoors during the day and moved to different villages in the night due to the firing. We are very happy that there is a ceasefire.”

Indian foreign secretary says military will ‘deal strongly’ with ceasefire violations

Vikram Misri has responded to the reported ceasefire violations.

“For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the director generals of military operations of India and Pakistan,” Misri said during a briefing.

“This is a breach of an understanding arrived at earlier today,” he said.

“The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations. We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address these violations and deal with the situation.”

Misri said India’s military has been given instructions to “deal strongly” with any truce violations.

Jammu and Kashmir minister warns of ‘heavy firing’

An Indian minister in the Jammu and Kashmir government is warning of “heavy firing at (the) border”.

Satish Sharma posted on Facebook, urging residents not to rush back to their homes along the Line of Control (LoC).

“I appeal to the people of Chhamb Constituency that stay at safer places and don’t rush back to homes at LoC as the Ceasefire announcement might not have travelled to all the places (and) people,” he said.

“We’ll coordinate your return to homes,” he added.

Pakistan says China reaffirmed support for Islamabad

India-Pakistan ceasefire: Timeline of how it happened

April 22, 2025: Terrorists kill 26 people in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, triggering a regional conflict.

April 23, 2025: India downgrades diplomatic ties, closes the border, and suspends key water treaty with Pakistan, blaming it for backing the attack. Pakistan denies the charge.

April 24, 2025: India and Pakistan cancel visas for each other’s nationals. Pakistan shuts its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines.

April 25, 2025: India says its troops exchanged fire with Pakistani soldiers at the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border dividing the disputed Kashmir region. The exchange of fire continues for several nights.

May 3, 2025: Pakistan test-fires ballistic missile with a range of 450km (280 miles). India bars Pakistani-flagged ships from entering its ports and prohibits Indian-flagged vessels from visiting Pakistani ports.

May 7, 2025: India fires missiles on Pakistan, which calls the strikes an “act of war” and pledges revenge as 31 die in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and the country’s Punjab province. The strikes targeted at least nine sites “where terrorist attacks against India have been planned”, says India’s Defence Ministry. Pakistan claims it downed several Indian fighter jets.

May 8, 2025: India fires attack drones into Pakistan as it accuses Islamabad of targeting its air defence system.

May 9, 2025: India suspends IPL, its biggest domestic cricket tournament, for a week. The G7 nations urge “maximum restraint”.

May 10, 2025: Pakistan says India fired missiles at airbases inside the country and that retaliatory strikes were undertaken. Residents in Indian-administered Kashmir report hearing loud explosions at multiple places in the region. US President Donald Trump posts on social media that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Officials from both nations quickly confirm the deal.

Many in Pakistan greet news of the ceasefire with relief, joy

Chanting slogans of “long live Pakistan”, people in many cities welcomed the ceasefire with India, calling it a moment of national pride and relief after days of heightened tension.

“This is a big day for Pakistan,” said Mohammad Fateh, a young man in the city of Lahore. “Our forces responded with strength, and India had no choice but to agree to a ceasefire.”

In Islamabad, Zubaida Bibi, a 45-year-old housewife, expressed joy following the ceasefire, saying: “War brings nothing but suffering. We are happy that calm is returning. It feels like Eid to me. We have won.”

In Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, residents welcomed the ceasefire, saying they hope it will bring long-awaited relief to a region that has borne the brunt of recurring conflict.

“For us, peace means survival,” said Zulfikar Ali, a resident. “We’ve suffered enough. I’m glad that both Pakistan and India have made a sensible decision.”

India, Pakistan and international intervention

Charu Kasturi

This is only the latest instance of the US helping broker an end to a war or a tense standoff between India and Pakistan.

1999: President Bill Clinton convinced Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to pull the country’s troops out of Kargil, after they had entered the Indian-held territory, sparking a nearly three-month war.

2002: After an attack on the Indian parliament in December 2001, India mobilised its army along the border with Pakistan. India blamed Pakistan-based armed groups for the attack, a charge Islamabad rejected.

Indian and Pakistani troops were lined up, almost eyeball to eyeball, for seven months. The crisis ended after US Secretary of State Colin Powell and his team convinced Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to formally commit to dismantling armed groups on the country’s soil.

2019: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during Trump’s first administration, claimed the US helped pull India and Pakistan back from the brink of a potential nuclear war after a suicide bomber killed more than 40 Indian soldiers in Indian-administered Kashmir. India fired missiles across the border, and Pakistan shot down an Indian fighter jet, capturing its pilot before releasing him.

Ceasefire provides ‘mutual face-saving mechanism’

Mohmad Waseem Malla, research fellow at International Centre for Peace Studies, New Delhi, tells Al Jazeera that, given the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in the last few days and a tangible risk of escalating into “full-spectrum kinetic and non-kinetic engagement”, the ceasefire serves as a “face-saving mechanism”.

“The strategic messaging in the press briefings of the two countries, both putting the onus of de-escalation on the other, signalled it. What this ceasefire agreement does is it provides a mutually face-saving mechanism for de-escalation, allowing both parties to step back from the brink and restore a degree of stability,” Malla said.

More importantly, he said, the announcement would also mean that a window for diplomatic recalibration and the possibility of re-establishing a dialogue, however limited that may be, to discuss mutual issues of concern has opened.

“But simultaneously, how the two sides are able to sell this to their domestic audiences will decide the scope of such diplomatic engagements,” he said.

False videos circulated on India, Pakistan social media amid escalating tensions

A battle of misleading or false narratives was being waged on social media as the two countries launched military attacks on each other.

A video of a purported Pakistani soldier launching a guided missile towards an Indian helicopter and downing it is circulating on Instagram, having already garnered more than a million views.

But an Al Jazeera analysis found the video was filmed in northern Iraq in May 2016.

Another video claimed to show civilian homes and facilities in India on fire as a result of a Pakistani attack. The video is originally from April, while the fire was caused by riots at a pharmaceutical factory in India.

Claims of a female Indian pilot being apprehended by Pakistan after she was forced to eject from her warplane were also found to be false, with images of the purported incident that are currently circulating actually dating back to 2024, when a training aircraft crashed.

Pakistan’s defence minister says military brought ‘happiness, pride and respect’ to nation

In a post on X, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has “congratulated” Pakistan’s ministry.

He thanked the military for bringing “happiness, pride, and respect to the nation”.

The chief minister of Pakistan’s Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, also weighed in.

She said the fighting “made the world understand that Pakistan’s defence is invincible”, according to a statement carried by state broadcaster PTV news.

Indian politicians welcome ceasefire agreement with Pakistan

Indian ministers and lawmakers have backed the cessation of fighting with Pakistan, with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor saying, “Peace is essential”.

“India never wanted a long-term war. India wanted war to teach terrorists a lesson, and that lesson has been taught,” he told reporters.

From Delhi, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal congratulated both sides on the ceasefire.

“Now we won’t see the loss of innocent lives who have nothing to do with the war,” he said, but warned that the war will continue if Pakistan becomes a “hotbed of terrorism”.

Ravinder Raina, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regional leader in Indian-administered Kashmir, said the Indian army made Pakistan pay “for every nefarious act”.

“Pakistan has fallen to its knees and is crawling at the feet of America and PM Modi,” he claimed.

Leader of the People’s Democratic Party in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Srinagar, Mehbooba Mufti, thanked Trump for intervening.

“Military solution is not a solution, political intervention is always needed,” she said.

Why was Trump first to announce the ceasefire?

Mike Hanna, Reporting from Washington, DC

Trump was the first to announce the deal via that social media post by President Trump. Observers asking why that was the case, there may be a very simple answer, and that is, he was the first to get onto social media, as he is indeed most day.

But there are questions about why the US did announce first. What sort of leverage does it have over India and Pakistan?

We do know that it was a multilateral attempt to get a ceasefire. We do know, as well, that the United Kingdom has just signed a major trade deal with India, so it would also have great sway in this.

Still, the US appears to be taking it further. The media message from the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is also very significant.

Not only does he confirm the ceasefire, but he also says that there’s an agreement to have talks at a neutral site. In other words, the US is saying that this is just the beginning.

Pakistan International Airlines flights to resume by 10pm

The announcement comes soon after Pakistan announced it re-opened its airspace as the ceasefire went into effect.

Grounded international flights will resume at 10pm local (17:00 GMT), according to the spokesman for Pakistan’s flagship carrier.

Navigational data on Wednesday indicated the airspace over northern India and southern Pakistan had been completely cleared. Pakistan’s entire airspace was nearly free of civilian aircraft, barring a few flights.

Water flow could become a more serious issue soon

This is a moment of the United States stepping in and claiming a more direct mediatory role than in other confrontations between India and Pakistan, says Elizabeth Threlkeld, director of the South Asia programme at the Stimson Center.

“I think it’s important to recognise that the ceasefire was no sure thing, particularly as things escalated quite significantly in the past 24 hours. This was arguably the most serious crisis between the two sides since they got nuclear weapons,” she told Al Jazeera from Washington, DC.

But how to avoid getting to this point again becomes the next question, said the former US State Department official who worked in Pakistan.

“There are real fundamental political issues that need to be addressed so we don’t find ourselves again in a militarised crisis,” Threlkeld said.

“The timing is significant since there is significant water flow between India and Pakistan because of the season at the moment. But in a few months’ time, that will start to dry up. India does not necessarily have the infrastructure to meaningfully divert water right now, but it will gain that capacity when there’s less flow. So, that will have to be on the agenda of the talks if the two sides are to come together.”

UK says India, Pakistan ceasefire ‘hugely welcome’

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on X social media platform that the de-escalation between the South Asian neighbours was in “everybody’s interest”.

“Today’s ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome. I urge both parties to sustain this,” he wrote.

Third parties must push India, Pakistan to ‘resolve’ disputes: Ex-Pakistan NSA

Abid Hussain, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan’s former National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf has welcomed the ceasefire, calling it a “big relief” for a region of nearly two billion people.

“I think this should be a lesson to everybody involved. A war under nuclear umbrella, any kind of war, ultimately will lead you to depend on good fortune than strategy to extract yourself from being sucked into a catastrophic end,” Yusuf told Al Jazeera.

He said the only way to truly avoid escalation in a nuclear environment is to “prevent crises rather than manage them”, adding that prevention of crises requires dispute resolution.

For third parties, such as the US, coming in to deal with the situation is not a new thing, he said. But once the crisis is managed, everybody goes on their “merry ways and forgets the fact that the reasons for crisis still exist,” he added.

“It is critical that third parties push Pakistan and India to sit down and resolve, or at least work towards resolving their differences and disputes over time, so that, at the very least, they do not (end) up in a crisis every so often.”

Pakistan says China reaffirmed support for Islamabad

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had a phone call with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, according to the ministry.

“Foreign Minister Wang Yi acknowledged Pakistan’s restraint and appreciated its responsible approach under challenging circumstances,” a statement on X said.

The ministry said China’s top diplomat reaffirmed that Beijing “will continue to stand firmly by Pakistan in upholding its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national independence”.

US’s Rubio says India, Pakistan agreed ‘to start talks at a neutral site’

We also have a statement by Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, saying he is “pleased to announce” the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and “to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”.

In a post on social media, Rubio said over the past 48 hours, he and Vice President JD Vance engaged “with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik”.

He added: “We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace.”

Pakistan confirms India ceasefire ‘with immediate effect’

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed Pakistan’s ceasefire with India.

“Pakistan and India have agreed to a ceasefire with immediate effect,” he said in a social media post.

The minister added: “Pakistan has always strived for peace and security in the region, without compromising on its sovereignty and territorial integrity!”

‘A sigh of relief’ on both sides of the border after ceasefire announced

Kamal Hyder, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

After calls from the US and other friendly countries, we finally have some good news.

There would be a sigh of relief on both sides of the border because it is a high-stakes game.

The international community will have to pay attention to resolve the issues between these nuclear-armed countries.

If they do not solve the issue of Kashmir and do not put these two together at the negotiating table, we will be back to square one at some point in the future.

Indian Army briefing to signal course of action

Um-E-Kulsoom Shariff, Reporting from New Delhi, India

We are expecting a media briefing by the Indian Armed Forces some time during the evening.

What has happened and what’s playing out in terms of India’s course of action is expected to be discussed during that briefing.

It’s been a long day of activity in the corridors of power. Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier held a meeting with his defence minister and chiefs of staff.

We’ve also seen US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talking to officials, saying India and Pakistan need to de-escalate. India said its response so far has been measured and responsible.

The G7 has also urged the two countries to come in for direct talks and calling for restraint between the two nuclear neighbours.

Ceasefire agreement with India not partial: Pakistani foreign minister

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has told Geo TV that the deal with India is a full-fledged ceasefire understanding between the countries.

India and Pakistan have also activated military channels and hotlines following the deal, according to Dar.

‘Thank God, sense prevails’

Faras Ghani, Reporting from Karachi, Pakistan

The ceasefire announcement has been welcomed in Pakistan’s southern city of Karachi.

“Thank God, sense prevails,” resident Abdul Shahid said at a tea stall, glued to a TV screen. “I think both sides achieved what they wanted – a show of strength and a warning to their rival over national security as well as Kashmir.

“I’d say Pakistan came out of this stronger, but end of the day, war would serve no purpose to either side.”

All eyes will now be on what follows the announcement and whether there will be a continuation of talks that brought about the ceasefire.

“I believe LoC will also calm down,” Pakistan’s broadcast journalist Talat Hussain said, referring to the Line of Control that divides Indian- and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

“But now we need to demobilise, pull back forces and then what happens? We need to talk about the Indus Water Treaty, Pahalgam blame game; will India work on the claims over Pakistan’s involvement, among other things?”

India confirms ceasefire deal

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says the director-general of military operations of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart earlier this afternoon and an agreement was made.

“It was agreed between them that both sides would stop all fighting and military action on land, air and sea with effect from 17:00 Indian Standard Time today (11:30 GMT),” he said in a short statement.

“Instructions have been given on both sides to give effect to this understanding. The directors general of military operations will talk again on May 12 at 12:00.”

India’s foreign minister says understanding on stoppage of military action worked out

We also have the first statement by Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, India’s foreign minister.

In a post on social media, he said “India and Pakistan have today worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action.”

The minister added: “India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so.”

‘God has been kind’: Kashmiris react to India-Pakistan ceasefire

Following the announcement of a ceasefire agreed between India and Pakistan, residents of Indian-administered Kashmir expressed a sense of relief, with many praying for a lasting solution to the Kashmir conflict.

“I was extremely anxious about what was happening,” 25-year-old Rumaisa Jan, a resident of Srinagar who has her wedding scheduled next week, told Al Jazeera. “This is the wisest decision taken after so many lives have been lost. We want peace and an end to all these hostilities.”

Firdous Ahmad Sheikh, who runs a travel agency in the city, said he was frustrated by Kashmir being turned into a “battleground” by the two countries.

“My only fear is that things could escalate again in future. These countries must sit together and find a political solution to Kashmir once and for all. I pray our children don’t have to witness such times again.

“God has been kind to us for now.”

More from Pakistan’s foreign minister

Ishaq Dar has told Geo News that three dozen countries were involved in the active diplomacy efforts towards the ceasefire agreement.

The top diplomat also extended his gratitude to these countries, especially acknowledging efforts by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“Pakistan has always worked for regional peace without compromising its sovereignty,” he said.

‘Essential’ India, Pakistan engage in consistent dialogue

Abid Hussain, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Security analyst Sahar Khan has welcomed the ceasefire announcement but warned this past week has “fundamentally altered” the crisis escalation in South Asia due to the use of “emerging and disruptive technologies”.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Khan said it is essential that India and Pakistan reinstate all diplomats and engage in consistent dialogue that focuses on strengthening previous agreements, as well as containing threats to avoid another similar crisis.

“As this crisis hopefully wraps up, it doesn’t bode well for the next one, as both states will continue to modernise their conventional and nuclear arsenals,” Khan warned.

Pakistan opens airspace to all flights

The Pakistan Airports Authority says the country’s airspace has been fully restored for all flights.

The statement comes shortly after Pakistan and India agreed to a ceasefire deal after days of heavy fighting.

India and Pakistan can claim some degree of success: Analyst

The language being used by both India and Pakistan in the lead-up to the ceasefire showed that the two countries were leaning towards stopping the fighting, says military analyst Sean Bell.

“Both sides took some military action against each other and claimed some success, but also both have been hurt by this and will have (to) lick their wounds carefully,” he told Al Jazeera.

“I suspect India will be wondering how it managed to lose several fighter jets, and will be carefully reviewing Pakistan’s military capability. They did not expect to receive such a firm and robust response.”

Bell warned, however, that “if nothing changes, we are going to see a repeat of this at some stage in the future”.

He said finding an “elegant” solution allowed the two countries to step away from the precipice.

“Both sides have made their points. The international community was simply a facilitator to allow both sides to save face and claim a degree of success, but at least for now, ease tensions across that border region.”

India, Pakistan agree to ceasefire: What to know

India and Pakistan have confirmed reaching an agreement for an immediate ceasefire following international mediation.
    
The heads of military operations from both countries agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, air and sea during talks on Saturday afternoon.
    
They will speak again on May 12, 2025 according to India.
    
The ceasefire announcement has been welcomed with relief by residents in both countries and the areas in Kashmir that each country administers.
    
US secretary of state says India and Pakistan have also agreed to hold talks “on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”.

Issue of water key in upcoming talks

Osama Bin Javaid, Reporting from Lahore, Pakistan

A Pakistani security official we have spoken to told us that Islamabad has proven to the world that it can take a hit, and hit back – both in terms of its conventional capabilities and nuclear deterrence.

It appears that what we have been seeing in the last 48 hours – extensive shelling on the Line of Control as well as use of heavy weapons, jets and drones – is going to simmer down.

We’ll have to wait and see how long the truce will hold on the ground and what the repercussions will be.

The countries have also agreed to a broader dialogue on various issues.

For the Pakistani side, it will include the very important issue of water because India has suspended its related treaty with Pakistan, which affects the livelihood and agriculture in this country.

India’s military rejects Pakistani claims

Here’s what spokespersons of the Indian army said in a news conference:

Since the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam attack, Indian army responses were measured and responsible.
    
Pakistani claim of destroying India’s S-400 and Brahmos missile bases is wrong and unfounded.
    
Pakistan’s claim of damaging India’s air bases is also wrong.
    
India dealt a huge blow to both land and air assets of Pakistan.
    
Indian forces significantly damaged Pakistani airbases at several places.
    
Pakistan also suffered heavy losses along the Line of Control, the de facto India-Pakistan border in Kashmir.

Broader Pakistan talks a reversal for India that could prove challenging: Analyst

Subir Sinha, director of the South Asian Institute at SOAS University of London, says the ceasefire is a welcome development, especially for the people of the border regions who have taken a lot of hits over the past few nights.

Looking ahead, Sinha told Al Jazeera that the broader bilateral talks, which the US said the two countries will have soon, promise to be a very challenging process as India had previously rejected such a development.

“One of the arguments about this so-called robust policy towards Pakistan that Modi’s government had adopted was that it was no longer possible to sit down and discuss a broad and long-term commitment to resolve issues,” Sinha told Al Jazeera.

“They basically substituted diplomacy with military strategy and using newly acquired arms as a show of strength.”

He added that this marks a reversal of the Indian government’s position, and could play out poorly with the right wing in India, whose members have been calling for attacking Pakistan.

The analyst said both the Indus Waters Treaty and the Simla Agreement, which India threatened to pull away from, will need to be rehabilitated and “to be looked [at] perhaps as bases for moving forward”.

Kashmir conflict: A timeline

India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in its entirety but rule over parts of it. Let’s look at key dates related to the dispute:

1948: At the end of first India-Pakistan war over Kashmir, the UN Security Council adopts Resolution 47, calling for a ceasefire, troop withdrawals and a referendum in the region. But disagreements between India and Pakistan prevented the process from moving forward.

1950: Kashmir is granted special status after the adoption of the Indian Constitution, ensuring significant autonomy for the region.

1989-1990: An armed separatist rebellion breaks out in Indian-administered Kashmir, fuelled by local resentment, to demand independence or a merger with Pakistan.

1999: After a decade of violence, India and Pakistan fight another war over Kashmir.

2019: India revokes the region’s special status, divides it into two federally controlled territories, and imposes a months-long lockdown that saw its local leaders put in jails.

2024: Regional elections held after a decade, with the National Conference party winning on the platform of restoring autonomy and statehood. But it continues to remain a popular demand.

India says ‘no decision’ to hold talks

In a statement on social media, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says, “There is no decision to hold talks on any other issue at any other place.”

It comes after Rubio, the US secretary of state, said the governments of India and Pakistan have agreed “to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site”.

More from Indian armed forces

Speaking to reporters, Indian Navy Commodore Raghu R Nair says the Indian armed forces will adhere to the understanding reached on the ceasefire.

He added, however, that the military will “remain fully prepared, ever vigilant and committed to defending the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland”.

Nair said: “Every misadventure by Pakistan has been met with strength. And every future escalation will invite a decisive response. We remain fully operationally ready to launch whatever operations may be required in defence of the nation.”

Meanwhile, Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh claimed the country’s military succeeded in damaging Pakistani airbases in Skardu, Jacobabad and Bholari.

“In addition, a loss of AD (air defence) weapon system and radar made the defence of Pakistan airspace untenable,” she said.

Across the Line of Control, she said “excessive and precise damage” was done to military infrastructure and command and control centres.

Trump says India, Pakistan agree to ‘full and immediate ceasefire’

India’s Modi convenes top military, security officials

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has held a high-level meeting with his top military and security officials, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, amid the conflict with Pakistan.

National security adviser Ajit Doval and the chiefs of the army, navy and air force were also in attendance.

Modi’s office has not divulged details of the meeting, but it comes after Pakistan used missiles and drones to hit India overnight.

‘People in Srinagar panicked after blasts’

Journalist Umar Mehraj, reporting from Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, says the two loud explosions heard in the city earlier left locals in a state of panic.

He said the blasts “were heard when shops and businesses were opening”, adding that there was not yet an official explanation as to what had happened.

“Many people say they have never witnessed such large explosions in their lives … Saturday’s blasts were louder and more intense than the ones heard on Friday,” he added.

Mehraj stressed that people living in the neighbourhoods close to military installations in the city are particularly worried as they believe they could be hit in the ongoing conflict.

“They fear that they don’t have any safety facilities, such as bunkers, in case of more attacks,” he said. “What we are witnessing on the ground is very unusual.”

Pakistan hit Indian sites, avenged blood of innocents: PM Sharif

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says Pakistan’s armed forces “responded strongly and powerfully to Indian aggression today in a coordinated manner”.

He claimed Pakistan’s attacks “specifically targeted Indian military installations from which attacks on Pakistan had been launched”, according to a statement.

“Today we have given a befitting response to India and avenged the blood of innocents,” Sharif said, confirming Pakistan’s missile and drone attacks.

Dangerous scenes as attacks escalate

Kamal Hyder, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan decided to launch a massive retaliation last night after the Indian strikes following the Pahalgam attack.

It has certainly been a dangerous scene since last night, with the exchange of artillery fire between the two sides, with more than 10 killed and 50 wounded reported on the Pakistani side for now.

Passengers and travellers are stuck because all flights are suspended, and schools are closed. Of course, there is an economic impact from all of this.

People in Pakistan feel that if there is an all-out war between the two countries, it will be the common people who will be on the receiving end, and they will suffer catastrophic consequences.

‘Neither side wants to engage in a nuclear conflict’

Military analyst Sean Bell says both Pakistan and India “want to appear very robust” in the conflict, trying to send messages to their public that they are in control of the situation.

“Therefore, sometimes their reporting is a little bit less accurate than we would like,” the retired British air vice marshal told Al Jazeera, referring to past instances of fighting.

Bell said, nevertheless, the latest round of conflict between the two countries appears to be “more kinetic” than before with more weapons used by the two sides against each other.

He also highlighted that technological developments such as the widespread use of mobile phones and the development of social media allow the world to see more of the conflict compared with the past.

Bell also said that none of the arch-enemies would like to engage in a nuclear conflict.

“There would be no winners in a nuclear conflict,” he stressed.

World powers urge India and Pakistan to show restraint

Um-E-Kulsoom Shariff, Reporting from New Delhi, India

Both India and Pakistan seem to be talking about de-escalation of the conflict.

We heard the Indian army saying this morning they do not want to escalate.

And at all points, India has taken a stance that they have only been responding to attacks from the Pakistani side.

Of course, there is international pressure on both countries, looking at ways to de-escalate.

In addition to the US, countries such as Russia, China, Malaysia, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been telling Pakistan and India to show restraint.

Indian opposition MP criticises IMF loan to Pakistan

Gaurav Gogoi, a lawmaker with India’s opposition Congress party, says the International Monetary Fund’s approval of a loan to Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack is “shocking and disappointing”.

“The loan will only perpetuate the rule of the army over the state,” the deputy leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed in a social media post.

Late on Friday, the IMF’s executive board approved a new $1.4bn loan to Pakistan under its climate resilience fund and freed about $1bn in cash after a first successful review of a previous larger loan programme.

‘China’s role in India-Pakistan conflict is fascinating’

Military analyst Sean Bell says China’s role in the India-Pakistan conflict is “fascinating”.

“It appears India has lost some of its fighter jets,” Bell said. “It initially denied any losses, but there has been more and more credible evidence that they have lost some.”

He said media reports suggest a Chinese-made Pakistani warplane shot down one of India’s French-made Rafale jets.

“China rarely demonstrates its prowess on the military stage,” the analyst added.

“If this is true, that the export versions of their (Chinese) missiles shot down a Western aircraft”, it was “a worrying trend for the West”, Bell said.

Pakistan’s retaliation in line with UN Charter: Information minister

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has made the following comments in an interview with the BBC:

India targeted civilian populations inside Pakistan.
    
Pakistan is a responsible country that responded to India’s attacks in accordance with the UN Charter.
    
We did not target any civilian population inside India, and reject India’s accusations.
    
Our actions were in the exercise of our right to self-defence.
    
There is no evidence of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pahalgam incident.
    
India registered an FIR (first information report) just 10 minutes after the incident, making the Pahalgam case suspicious.

What happened during the Pahalgam attack?

In our previous update, we brought you the comments of Pakistan’s information minister, who mentioned, among other things, the attack in Pahalgam nearly three weeks ago – so here’s a quick reminder about what happened then:

At about 2:45pm (09:15 GMT) on April 22, 2025 armed men in camouflage clothes emerged from a nearby forest in the famous resort town in Indian-administered Kashmir.
    
The attackers opened indiscriminate fire at Baisaran meadow, a scenic uphill area accessible only by foot or pony rides, and caught victims, mostly tourists, off guard, according to officials.
    
At least 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen were killed – the deadliest such attack in a quarter-century in the region.
    
India swiftly blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation the latter denied.

India, Pakistan drift towards all-out as war as they target military bases: All to know

Abid Hussain, Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan

Pakistan has accused India of carrying out attacks inside its territory for the fourth consecutive night, launching ballistic missile strikes on at least three air bases.

Islamabad said that in response, it launched a major military campaign, “Operation Bunyan Marsoos” (Arabic for “a structure made of lead”) targeting at least six Indian military bases.

India, in turn, accused Pakistan of being the aggressor. Indian military officials claimed Pakistan had targeted several Indian military bases and that its missiles into Pakistani territory were in response.

Yet, regardless of who hit the other first on May 10, the very fact that India and Pakistan had struck each other’s military bases over such a wide swath of territory, well beyond Kashmir – a disputed region that they each partly control – means that the conflict has now veered into almost unknown territory.

Never have the South Asian rivals attacked each other on this scale outside the four wars they have fought.

Pakistan left with no option but to defend sovereignty: President

President Asif Ali Zardari says Pakistan was left with no choice but to “respond decisively” to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens.

The entire nation is united and fully supports its armed forces “in the face of Indian aggression”, he said, according to a statement released by his Pakistan People’s Party on X after PM Sharif met Zardari at his official residence.

Zardari called Pakistan “a responsible and peace-loving nation” which has shown “considerable restraint in the face of Indian provocations”.

He praised the “extraordinary professional expertise and bravery of the country’s armed forces in delivering a befitting response” to India.

G7 foreign ministers call for ‘immediate de-escalation’

Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven major powers have issued a statement over the clashes between India and Pakistan.

In a joint statement, they condemned the April 22 attack in Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 people and triggered the current outbreak of violence, while warning that further escalation threatened regional stability.

“We are deeply concerned for the safety of civilians on both sides,” they said. “We call for immediate de-escalation and encourage both countries to engage in direct dialogue towards a peaceful outcome.”

The G7 members are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, along with the European Union.

Indian-administered Kashmir to pay families of those killed in Pakistan shelling

The government in Indian-administered Kashmir has announced it will pay one million rupees ($11,700) each to the families of people killed as a result of shelling from Pakistan as a “gesture of support and solidarity”.

“Deeply pained by the loss of innocent lives due to recent shelling from Pakistan,” the region’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said in a post on X.

“My government is taking every possible measure to minimise the hardships of our people.”

Trump says India, Pakistan agree to ‘full and immediate ceasefire’

In a post on his Truth Social site, US President Donald Trump says India and Pakistan have agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire”.

There was no immediate comment from India or Pakistan.

Here’s what Trump wrote in full: “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE.

“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”

Pakistan minister says no nuclear body meeting after military operation against India

Deputy PM says Pakistan operating defensively, no choice but to retaliate

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said his country has “exhibited a lot of patience”, but it had “no choice” but to retaliate to India’s strikes over recent days.

“Even on the first day, we stayed in our space and attacked those jets that entered Pakistan, five of which we shot down,” he told Pakistani news outlet Geo News.

“There were clear instructions not to be on the offensive. Our patience has been tested and has run out, and the actions that have been taken are retaliatory and defensive, the world can see that,” he said.

“Our civil military leadership made the decision following the attack on Nur Khan Airbase. No more patience. We are just giving them a response,” Dar said.

Rubio urges India, Pakistan to restore communication to ‘avoid miscalculation’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged India and Pakistan to find ways to de-escalate the growing military conflict between the neighbouring nuclear-powered nations.

In separate phone calls to India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar, Rubio urged the two countries to communicate directly, offering US help to hold talks.

Rubio “emphasized that both sides need to identify methods to de-escalate and re-establish direct communication to avoid miscalculation”, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Indian authorities say at least 22 killed since escalation started as thousands flee border areas

Um-e-Kulsoom Shariff, reporting from India’s capital New Delhi, said the Indian Army has called the strikes by Pakistan a “blatant escalation”.

“It said that Pakistan has used drones and other munitions to strike and the Indian Army has engaged and destroyed these drones,” Shariff said.

“This is the initial response, but a more detailed response about the loud explosions we’ve heard throughout the area and heavy artillery fire in the border areas is expected shortly,” she said.

“India said at least 22 people have died since the escalation in these attacks and dozens of people injured,” she added.

“And when we talk of the loss of life there’s also loss of livelihoods. Remember that thousands of people have been evacuated from villages in the border areas for safety.”

Pakistan retaliated after ‘great provocations’ by India: Islamabad analyst

The latest military escalation between India and Pakistan could be only the first phase of a bigger conflict, said Imtiaz Gul, a political and security analyst based in Islamabad.

The “great provocations” for Pakistan were the Indian army’s launching of attacks by fighter jets and drones for several days before Pakistan’s response early on Saturday.

“This is what constitutes the grounds for Pakistan’s retaliation. It’s going to be very dangerous if the Indians don’t relent and stop their war propaganda,” Gul told Al Jazeera.

“So this was the last trigger Pakistan needed to launch attacks,” he said.

Gul added that the escalation is somewhat reminiscent of previous major conflicts in 1971 and 1999, but this time it has been revolving around air attacks so far rather than ground offensives.

India accuses Pakistan of attacking religious sites, residential areas

India’s Defence Ministry has accused Pakistan of targeting civilian infrastructure during overnight attacks as part of operation Bunyan Marsoos.

“(Pakistan targeted) places of worship like the famous Shambhu Temple and residential areas in Jammu. Multiple armed drones have been sent through the night, endangering civilians and religious sites,” the ministry said in a statement.

“The Indian Armed Forces remain vigilant and are committed to defending the sovereignty of the nation,” the ministry added.

Pakistan says ‘ball in India’s court’ on de-escalating: Report

Pakistan will consider peace if India stops military action, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday.

Dar told Pakistani broadcaster Geo News that he said the “ball is in India’s court” in his conversation with Rubio. “War is not our priority and we genuinely want peace but without hegemony of any country,” said Dar, who also serves as the country’s deputy prime minister.

Dar said his interactions with world leaders, including Rubio and the Saudi foreign minister, on Saturday morning had been “positive” and that he hopes talks with India can begin.

Asked about contact between the two countries’ militaries after the latest round of attacks, Dar said “messages have been exchanged on both sides”.

Pakistan’s defence chief describes need for ‘urgency’ in response to India attacks

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has spoken to local media outlets about the ongoing situation.

Here are some of his comments:

Pakistan is not ruling out more attacks by India.

The national security advisers from both sides spoke on Thursday.
    
There was an urgency and need from Pakistan to respond to Indian attacks.
    
The naval forces are ready for any attack from sea.
    
No fighter jets from Pakistan have been damaged or destroyed.

Mix of celebration, apprehension in Pakistan as military response to India launched

Faras Ghani, Reporting from Karachi, Pakistan

On the streets of Pakistan, the attacks on Indian military targets this morning brought about a sense of relief and jubilation for some.

People across the country were constantly questioning the lack of major military action by Pakistani forces in the wake of the deadly attacks carried out by India over the past few days.

There were calls for a “show of strength” by the military.

However, as the conflict continues and intensifies, there is also anxiety, apprehension and a sense of panic, especially on the eastern side of the country near the border with India, as well as in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjacent to the capital, Islamabad.

People continue to fear India’s missile and drone attacks, the former continued in the early hours of this morning, while Pakistan’s airspace remains closed.

Blasts heard in Kashmir’s Srinagar, Baramulla

Two loud blasts have been heard in Indian-administered Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar near the airport and the local headquarters of the army, according to an official and residents.

Two other blasts were also heard in Kashmir’s Baramulla town, an official and residents told Reuters news agency, as fighting continued between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan.

India says Pakistan targeting civilians, increasing troop deployment along border

India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says Pakistan’s claims about destroyed military infrastructure during attacks over recent hours are “completely false”.

“Claims have been made about large sections of Indian critical infrastructure, power systems, cyber systems etc, being attacked and destroyed – completely false,” Misri said at a news conference, as he accused Pakistan of targeting “civilians and civilian infrastructure”.

Speaking alongside Misri was wing commander Vyomika Singh, who said Pakistan’s army has been observed to be moving its troops forward, “indicating offensive intent to further escalate the situation”.

“Indian armed forces remain in a high state of operational readiness,” Singh said.

Pakistan closes airspace until Sunday noon

Pakistan airspace has been shut after its military said India had launched a series of attacks on airbases.

“Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed for all kinds of flights until Sunday 12:00pm” or (07:00 GMT on Sunday), the statement from the country’s aviation authority said.

‘Missile-like object’ lands in Srinagar’s Dal Lake

Loud explosions have been reported in the city of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, with the Indian media saying a “missile-like object landed deep inside” the Dal Lake, a prominent tourist attraction in the area.

Smoke bellowed from the surface of the lake when the object landed, officials cited by the Press Trust of India news agency said, adding that debris fished out from the lake is being analysed.

Another suspected object was recovered from Lasjan on the outskirts of the city, while a “suspicious metal object resembling parts of a missile” was reportedly found at a village near the Chintpurni temple in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district, the agency reported.

Pakistan minister says no nuclear body meeting after military operation against India

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif says the National Command Authority, the top military and civil body overseeing the country’s nuclear arsenal, has not held any meetings.

“Nor or is any such meeting scheduled,” he told ARY TV.

“This thing that you have spoken about (nuclear option) is present, but let’s not talk about it – we should treat it as a very distant possibility, we shouldn’t even discuss it in the immediate context,” Asif said.

“Before we get to that point, I think temperatures will come down.”

Indian army claims hit on ‘terrorist launchpads’

The Indian army says it launched attacks in response to “Pakistan’s misadventures of attempted drone strikes”.

The strikes took place close to the Line of Control in contested Kashmir.

The army claimed the launchpads that were struck “were a hub for planning and executing terror attacks against Indian civilians and security forces in the past”.

It added: “The Indian army’s swift and decisive action has dealt a significant blow to terrorist infrastructure and capabilities.”

Its claims could not be independently verified.

Saudi foreign minister speaks to Indian, Pakistani counterparts

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia says the kingdom’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, has spoken on the phone separately with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Ishaq Dar, his respective counterparts from India and Pakistan.

In a short statement, it said discussions focused on efforts to de-escalate tensions, halt ongoing military confrontations and promote calm.

The Saudi foreign minister also “emphasised the kingdom’s commitment to security and stability of the region, and its close and balanced relations with both friendly countries”, the statement added.

At least 13 killed, 50 wounded in Indian shelling of Pakistan-administered Kashmir: Official

Mazhar Hussain Shah, spokesperson for the government in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, has told Al Jazeera that at least 13 people have been killed due to Indian shelling in various areas across the region since last night.

Shah said a child under 10 is among the dead.

More than 50 people have also been wounded, he added.

‘Ground beneath my feet shook’: Srinagar resident

Residents of Srinagar say they were jolted by loud explosions at around noon, deepening fears in a region already on the edge.

“I was walking through a locality near the Srinagar international airport when the blast went off. The ground beneath my feet shook,” Muhammad Tahseen, a pharmacist, told Al Jazeera. “It caused chaos. People are scared. There is a strong sense that tensions could escalate further.”

Electricity has also been cut off across the main city in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Muhammad Younis, a 39-year-old banker, said he has not slept for two nights.

“Everyone is terrified of drone strikes, especially after what happened in Jammu,” he said, referring to Thursday evening’s drone sightings and cross-border fire near the southern border with Pakistan.

“My two children are traumatised. I have lived through the conflict since the 1990s, but this feels different. It’s as if we are bracing for something worse,” Younis said. “Civilians will bear the brunt of this violence they never asked for. We are sitting inside our homes, anxious, fearful, and uncertain of what the next hour might bring.”

Here’s a quick look at the latest developments:

At least 13 people have been killed and over 50 wounded in Indian attacks on Pakistan-administered Kashmir since last night, Pakistan officials say.
    
Pakistan says it has targeted multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in the north, in response to “Indian aggression” that included attacks on Pakistani airbases.
    
India says there was limited damage to equipment and staff at air force stations at the Udhampur, Pathankot, Adampur and Bhuj areas.
    
The Indian military said there were several high-speed missile attacks on several airbases in Punjab, adding that it had responded to the attacks.
    
Explosions have been heard in Indian-administered Kashmir and missile fragments were found in other areas.
    
Raj Kumar Thappa, a district commissioner in Rajouri town in Indian-administered Kashmir, was killed after his residence was hit by Pakistani shelling, top regional official says.

Hajj flights cancelled in Kashmir

The Jammu and Kashmir Hajj Committee has announced the suspension of all scheduled Hajj flights from Indian-administered Kashmir until May 14, citing the ongoing military escalation between India and Pakistan.

“Pilgrims are advised to remain patient and await further instructions,” the official notification said.

Authorities said any alternative arrangement or revised schedules will be communicated to the pilgrims. The annual Muslim pilgrimage will be held in Saudi Arabia early next month.