Pakistan, India agree to extend ceasefire until May 18: Pakistani FM

ISLAMABAD, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan and India held talks on Thursday and agreed to extend the ongoing ceasefire until May 18, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said.

Addressing the parliament, Dar said that the militaries of both countries communicated earlier in the day and reached the decision to prolong the ceasefire, with plans to follow up with political dialogue.

"The ceasefire was initially agreed upon on May 10 to last until May 12. It was later extended to May 14, and now further extended to May 18," he told lawmakers.

Dar added that military-level communication has so far been instrumental in maintaining the ceasefire and after May 18, comprehensive political talks would begin.

"There will be composite and result-oriented talks with India. The purpose is not to accept anyone's superiority but to resolve issues on the basis of equality," the foreign minister said.

Tensions escalated in the early hours of May 7 when India launched airstrikes on several targets in Pakistan in response to a gun attack in Pahalgam, located in the Indian-controlled Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed by unidentified gunmen last month.

Following several days of fierce fighting, both sides agreed on a ceasefire on May 10, which was subsequently extended in phases.