US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that over the past 48 hours, he, along with US Vice President JD Vance, engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including prime ministers Shehbaz Sharif and Narendra Modi, Indian Foreign Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and national security advisers Ajit Doval and Lt Gen Asim Malik.

“I am 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,” he said in a post on X.

“We commend prime ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace,” he added.

Opinion

Editorial

Kashmir unresolved
Updated 30 Sep, 2026

Kashmir unresolved

The just solution lies in India addressing the issue through a trilateral dialogue involving the legitimate representatives of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan.
Water shortage
30 Sep, 2026

Water shortage

THAT the country is entering the Rabi season with an anticipated water shortage of nearly 25pc, the lowest carryover...
Young hearts
30 Sep, 2026

Young hearts

THE observance may have passed, but the message of World Heart Day should not fade with it. The occasion is a useful...
Terror and politics
Updated 29 Sep, 2026

Terror and politics

There is an urgent need to tone down the rhetoric and tackle terrorism as a collective challenge for both the affected provinces and the federation.
Watching the glaciers
29 Sep, 2026

Watching the glaciers

THE latest signs from Pakistan’s mountains are worrying. Suparco says the number of unfrozen glacial lakes it...
Dangerous agenda
29 Sep, 2026

Dangerous agenda

AS the world remains fixated on the US-Iran conflict, elsewhere in the Middle East, Israel is consolidating its grip...