The joint statement issued on the ceasefire of the top military commanders of the India-Pakistan armies is discussed in all the newspapers on Friday.
Hindustan Times has reported that this news surprised everyone but National Security Advisor Ajit Doval had been in back-channel talks with his counterpart in Islamabad for months.
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According to the newspaper, people aware of this development gave this information on the condition of not disclosing their name.
A source said that Doval and Imran Khan’s Special Assistant to the National Security Division, Moeed Yusuf, were also in touch directly and through intermediaries of the intelligence department.
The source said that the joint statement is the first result of the discussions between the two officials, in which the two people met at least once in a third country.
He also told that the information was known to a few senior leaders of the government, including Prime Minister Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.
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However, according to the newspaper, Moeed Yusuf made several tweets while trying to break away from the news of joining any such talks.
He wrote, “There was no talk between me and Mr. Doval. This welcome progress on LoC is the result of discussion at DGMO level.”
Thursday’s joint statement, issued in New Delhi by the defence ministry, said the director generals of military operations (DGMO) of the two armies had agreed to “strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the Line of Control” from Wednesday midnight.
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