Foreign Secretary David Lammy welcomes India-Pakistan ceasefire
The two countries confirmed the ceasefire deal on Saturday after US-led talks to end the conflict.
David Lammy has said the ceasefire between India and Pakistan is “hugely welcome” as he urged both countries to sustain the agreement.
The two countries confirmed the ceasefire deal on Saturday after US-led talks to end the conflict, however explosions were reportedly heard just hours later.
It comes after weeks of clashes sparked after gunmen killed 26 people last month, that India blames Pakistan for.
Posting on X, the Foreign Secretary said: “Today’s ceasefire between India and Pakistan is hugely welcome.
“I urge both parties to sustain this. De-escalation is in everybody’s interest.”
The Associated Press reported on Saturday afternoon that multiple explosions had been heard in two cities in India-controlled Kashmir just hours after the deal was announced. It also reported gunfire being heard from locations along the Line of Control.
The first news of the truce was broken by Donald Trump, who wrote on Truth Social to say that an agreement had been reached after a “long night of talks mediated by the United States”.
“Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence,” he said.
During a silent vigil in London on Saturday, organisers from the South Asia Solidarity Group (SASG) said the ceasefire “can only be the first step” towards a “real, meaningful peace”.
Demonstrators held up placards in Parliament Square that spelt out the words “United against war” during the vigil.
Other signs read “We stand with Kashmir” and “Diaspora, say no to war”.
Speaking to the crowd, Kalpana Wilson from SASG said: “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.
“But we are also coming together to demand a real, meaningful peace – a ceasefire can only be a first step.”
Ms Wilson said the next step was de-escalation, which included reinstating the Indus water treaty.
Violent clashes between the two nations were sparked after gunmen killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists, in Indian-controlled Kashmir last month.
India has accused Pakistan of being behind the murders, which Islamabad denies.
Kashmir has been a contested territory between Pakistan and India since 1947 and the two nuclear-armed neighbours each run part of the region but claim ownership of it all.
