WASHINGTON: As Pakistan and India stepped back from the brink of escalation, the longstanding Kashmir dispute has once again come into focus, following a ceasefire facilitated by the United States.
In a key development, President Donald Trump offered to actively mediate the Kashmir conflict, declaring his intent to work with both countries to help resolve the “thousand-year” dispute. His message, posted on Truth Social, lauded the leadership in Islamabad and New Delhi for agreeing to an “historic and heroic” ceasefire after days of deadly hostilities.
The ceasefire came into effect late Saturday, though both nations exchanged accusations of violations within hours. By early Sunday, the shelling had subsided.
In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Office welcomed Trump’s willingness to play a mediating role. It appreciated “the constructive role played by the United States, alongside other friendly states,” in securing the ceasefire and emphasized that a just and lasting resolution of the Kashmir dispute must align with UN Security Council resolutions and ensure the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people.
The Foreign Office further expressed Pakistan’s intent to deepen ties with the US in trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
President Trump credited his administration’s diplomacy for defusing tensions, warning that the failure to act could have resulted in the deaths of “millions of good and innocent people.” He said the US would continue efforts toward peace and announced plans to boost trade with both nations.
While India has historically rejected third-party mediation on Kashmir, Trump’s repeated engagement marks a notable departure in US policy toward South Asia’s most volatile flashpoint.
Senior US officials, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and former NSA Mike Waltz, praised the development as a step toward lasting regional peace, acknowledging that challenges remain.
As calm tentatively holds, the global spotlight has once again turned to Kashmir — a dispute at the heart of South Asia’s nuclear-armed rivalry.
Story by Anwar Iqbal
