Pakistan, Indian DGMOs agree on further de-escalation at borders

The high tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours, Pakistan and India, have de-escalated significantly as the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) from both countries reached a pivotal agreement to return troops to their previous positions along the Line of Control (LoC) and international borders.

According to sources cited by 24NewsHD TV, the military leadership of both nations agreed in a direct communication to replace army deployments on the international borders with their respective paramilitary forces—Pakistan Rangers and the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). 

This move marks a major shift towards normalisation following heightened tensions stemming from the Pahalgam incident.

The DGMOs also discussed and agreed upon several key steps aimed at maintaining the current ceasefire and ensuring sustained de-escalation across volatile border regions. 

It was decided that the aggressive forward deployments by both sides would be pulled back to pre-crisis positions.

'Withdrawal' of troops by May-end

Pakistan and India have agreed to withdraw troop reinforcements deployed during their recent conflict back to their peacetime positions by the end of May, a senior Pakistani security official told AFP on Tuesday.

"Troops will be withdrawn to pre-conflict positions by the end of May," the senior security official told AFP on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The official said both countries agreed a phased withdrawal of the additional troops and weaponry deployed, mostly on the already heavily militarised de facto border in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control (LoC).

It comes after the Indian army last week said both sides agreed to take "immediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas".

"All of these steps were initially planned to be completed within 10 days, but minor issues caused delays," the Pakistani official added.

Wagah border ceremony

India said Tuesday it would resume a daily border ceremony with neighbouring Pakistan which it briefly halted earlier this month following the most serious conflict between the nuclear armed arch-rivals for decades.

India's Border Security force said the sunset ceremony on its side would be open to the media on Tuesday and to the general public on Wednesday at the Attari-Wagah land border in the northern state of Punjab.

Pakistan said it never stopped the ceremony, with its troops marching on its side of the border alone.

The ceremony however is expected to be a low-key affair with diplomatic measures against Pakistan still in place, including the closure of the land border.

For years, the ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border has been a popular tourist attraction. Visitors from both sides come to cheer on soldiers goose-stepping in a chest-puffing theatrical show of pageantry.

The daily border ritual has largely endured over the decades, surviving innumerable diplomatic flare-ups and military skirmishes.

Reporter: Ahmad Mansoor