Pak Army chief Munir said I saved lives: Trump on India-Pak conflict

Trump made these remarks days after he hosted Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House in a closed-room discussion

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) reiterated his claim of brokering a deal between India and Pakistan, adding that Pakistan's Field Marshal Asim Munir credited him for "ending a potential war".

 

Trump made these remarks days after he hosted Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Munir at the White House in a closed-room discussion. Referring to his conversation with the two, Trump said, "He (Asim Munir) said to a group of people that were with us... that this man (Trump) saved millions of lives because he saved the war from going on. That war was going to get very bad... I loved the way he said it".

 

 

India-Pakistan conflict

 

India and Pakistan were engaged in a four-day military confrontation in May after the Indian armed forces launched 'Operation Sindoor' on the intervening night of May 6 and May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure at nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists.

 

The two nuclear-armed neighbours were engaged in firing across the border towns, and a ceasefire was agreed on May 10.

 

Trump's role in the India-Pakistan conflict

 

Trump, on several occasions, claimed it was due to his efforts that the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours stopped. Reiterating his claim once again from the White House, Trump said, "India and Pakistan were going at it. I called them both... They had just shot down seven planes... I said, if you do this, there's not going to be any trade, and I stopped the war. It was raging for four days."

 

While the Trump administration and Pakistani leaders have credited Trump for his efforts in brokering a deal, India has consistently maintained that the understanding to end the military confrontation was reached after direct talks were held between New Delhi and Islamabad. New Delhi has continuously denied any third party's involvement in the conflict.

 

Last week, during the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, India maintained that the cessation of hostilities was agreed after Pakistan's military "pleaded" with New Delhi.

 

Trump seeks Nobel Peace Prize

 

Trump has consistently claimed that he solved the India-Pakistan conflict, making it one of the seven conflicts that he was able to end during his second term. His remarks on ending these seven conflicts come as the US President seeks a Nobel Peace Prize for the US ahead of October 10, when the nominations will be announced.

 

His remarks on the India-Pakistan conflict come a day after he introduced a 20-point peace plan to end the Israel-Gaza war, which has been going on for nearly two years. On Monday (local time), Trump unveiled a peace plan and the establishment of a 'Board of Peace', which will be headed by him and former British prime minister Tony Blair.

 

Trump introduced the Gaza peace plan at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and if the plan is accepted by Hamas, the war will end immediately.