Hours after India, Pak DGMOs talk, drones seen in J&K, Punjab

The Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan today spoke over the hotline and laid emphasis on “continuing with the commitment” that both sides “must not fire a single shot or initiate any aggressive and inimical action”.

Just hours after DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and his Pakistan counterpart Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah spoke, suspected drones were sighted near Samba in J&K and some areas around the Suranussi ammunition dump in Jalandhar. The Army was engaging them, said officials. “A small numbers of suspected drones being observed near Samba in J&K. Being engaged. There is no need to be alarmed,” the Army said. This even as several cities in Punjab, including Amritsar and Jalandhar, faced a blackout amid threat of air raids by the neighbour.

Lt Gen Ghai and Maj Gen Abdullah spoke at 5 pm, the Army said. Referring to the ongoing tensions, the Army said the DGMOs agreed that “both sides must consider immediate measures to ensure troop reduction at the border and forward areas”.

The two nuclear-armed nations were locked in a four-day conflict (May 7 to 10) after India struck at terror camps in Pakistan to retaliate against the killing of 26 innocent people at Pahalgam. Today’s discussion was the second in 48 hours. The Pakistan DGMO had called up his Indian counterpart over the hotline at 3.35 pm on May 10 and proposed “a pause in the hostilities”.

The two were scheduled to speak at noon today, but the call was rescheduled. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had announced on May 10 that the two DGMOs would speak at noon today. Officials in New Delhi refused to share the reason behind rescheduling the call.

The call over the hotline is being considered important as government sources said the talks would take place only between the two militaries at the DGMO level.