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India rejects third-party role in truce: ‘Pakistan pleaded for ceasefire during Operation Sindoor’
At the UN, India dismissed claims of US mediation, stating that the ceasefire resulted from direct military discussions, not external intervention.
India has reiterated that no third party was involved in the ceasefire with Pakistan after Operation Sindoor in May this year. At the United Nations General Assembly, India said Pakistan's military "pleaded" with it for a cessation of fighting and that there is no room for any third party to intervene in any issue between New Delhi and Islamabad.
First secretary in India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Petal Gahlot, on Friday responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's claim that US President Donald Trump had helped de-escalate tensions between the two countries, Operation Sindoor, India's retaliatory action against Pakistan after the Pahalgam attack. Twenty-six people were killed in a terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam after two terrorists opened fire at the tourists.
"This Assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the prime minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy," Gahlot said, delivering India's Right of Reply at the UNGA.
Earlier, Sharif told the gathering at UN that Pakistan was ready for a "composite, comprehensive and result-oriented" dialogue with India on all outstanding issues. He criticised New Delhi over the situation in Kashmir and praised Trump for his “efforts for peace” that helped “avert a war in South Asia”.
"In recognition of President Trump's wonderful and outstanding contribution to promote peace in our part of the world, Pakistan nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize. This is the least we could do ... I think he truly is a man of peace," he said.
On May 10, Trump announced a ceasefire between India and Pakistan on social media following days of escalation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. While he has repeated the claims of mediation several times, India has consistently maintained that the understanding on cessation of hostilities was reached following direct military talks without third-party intervention.
India targeted terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of Operation Sindoor launched on May 7 in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.
