India, May 19 -- I first came to know about the ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan when a friend sent me President Donald Trump's announcement on social media. I could not believe it, as India had all along been rejecting any third-party involvement in its bilateral relations. In fact, the Simla Treaty specifically rules out any such intervention.

That my doubts were misplaced became apparent when India and Pakistan announced a ceasefire effective from 5 pm on the fourth day the undeclared war began. Of course, the defence personnel who briefed the media specifically mentioned that Pakistan had approached India first for a ceasefire.

A large majority of the people on both sides of the border and the Line of Control h...