Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Thursday that the militaries of India and Pakistan have agreed to extend last week’s ceasefire until Sunday, May 18. Addressing the Senate on Thursday, he said the extension paves the way for renewed political dialogue. “Now it [ceasefire] has been extended till [May] 18, so obviously, now ultimately, things will go to dialogue,” Dar said. “For now, these are military-to-military communications, so obviously, then political dialogue will take place. The resolution of all issues lies there.” Dar firmly stated that Pakistan did not request a ceasefire. He clarified that the first call regarding a ceasefire came from the US Secretary of State, who conveyed that India sought a truce. Pakistan, he said, expressed willingness only after receiving similar calls from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and China. “We were already in contact with friendly nations before the conflict escalated,” he said. “We informed them of our restraint and made it clear that while we would not initiate hostilities, any aggression from India would be met with a strong response,” he added. Dar further highlighted the role of Indian media in immediately blaming Pakistan for the recent Pahalgam incident, drawing parallels with the Pulwama attack. Separately, the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of Pakistan and India established contact through a hotline on Wednesday afternoon, their third such communication since the two sides agreed to uphold a ceasefire facilitated by the United States and other friendly countries. According to well-placed sources, the two military officials discussed the ground situation and agreed to maintain the status quo, with the ceasefire holding “for the time being”, in line with their previous discussion on Monday. No official statement has been issued by either side regarding the conversation or its specific outcomes.