New Delhi: After the announcement of an immediate and complete ceasefire between India and Pakistan, the Congress has demanded that the government convene an all-party meeting and call a special session of Parliament to discuss recent developments and the way forward.
Congress General Secretary and head of the party’s communications department, Jairam Ramesh, posted on social media platform X shortly after the ceasefire announcement. He wrote: “In view of the unprecedented announcements from Washington DC, there is now a need, more than ever before, for 1. The PM to chair an all-party meeting and take political parties into confidence 2. A special session of Parliament to discuss the events of the last eighteen days, beginning with the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks and the way forward, and to demonstrate a collective resolve.”
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had made a brief and measured statement confirming the ceasefire. He stated that the ceasefire had come into effect from 5 p.m. on Saturday. Sources say that that the ceasefire had been agreed upon on India’s terms.
The DGMOs (Directors General of Military Operations) from India and Pakistan are scheduled to speak again on May 12.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump posted on social media that following extended negotiations overnight, facilitated by the US, India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate” ceasefire.
The backdrop to this ceasefire dates back to April 22, when a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, claimed the lives of several Indian civilians. In response, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in the early hours of May 7, destroying nine terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Subsequently, Pakistan carried out a series of attacks targeting Indian military installations and civilian areas using drones and missiles. The Indian Armed Forces successfully neutralised the majority of these threats.
The Congress party’s call for a unified political response reflects a demand for national clarity and consensus considering these serious security developments.
(IANS)
