Pakistan and India have agreed to withdraw troop reinforcements deployed during their recent conflict back to their peacetime positions by the end of May, a senior Pakistani security official said on Tuesday.
More than 70 people were killed in the four-day conflict, which was sparked by an attack on tourists by gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir last month that New Delhi accused Islamabad of backing 鈥� a charge it denies.
Indian authorities have arrested nearly a dozen nationals for allegedly spying for Pakistan following their most serious conflict in decades, local media reported citing police.
Broadcaster NDTV reported Monday that authorities had arrested nine alleged 鈥榮pies鈥� in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Punjab鈥檚 director general of police Gaurav Yadav said Monday that his team had arrested two people 鈥榠nvolved in leaking sensitive military information鈥�.
Police had received 鈥榗redible intelligence inputs鈥� the聽 two men were involved 鈥榠n sharing classified details鈥� related to New Delhi鈥檚 strikes deep into Pakistan鈥檚 territory on the night of May 6-7.
A preliminary investigation showed they were in 鈥榙irect contact鈥� with handlers from Pakistan鈥檚 intelligence agency Inter-services Intelligence and 鈥榟ad transmitted critical information concerning the Indian Armed Forces,鈥� Yadav added.
In Haryana, police arrested a travel blogger last week on similar charges.
Police say the accused woman travelled to Pakistan at least twice and had been in contact with an official from the country鈥檚 embassy, local media reported. Others arrested include a student, a security guard and a businessman.
The India Today news outlet reported 11 such arrests. It said the accused were 鈥榣ured into the spy network through social media, monetary incentives, false promises, messaging apps and personal visits to Pakistan鈥�.
The military confrontation involving intense tit-for-tat drone, missile, aerial combat and artillery exchanges came to an abrupt end after US president Donald Trump announced a surprise ceasefire, which is still holding.
鈥楾roops will be withdrawn to pre-conflict positions by the end of May,鈥� the senior security official said as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The official said both countries agreed a phased withdrawal of the additional troops and weaponry deployed, mostly on the already heavily militarised de facto border in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control.
It comes after the Indian army last week said both sides agreed to take 鈥榠mmediate measures to ensure troop reduction from the borders and forward areas鈥�.
鈥楢ll of these steps were initially planned to be completed within 10 days, but minor issues caused delays,鈥� the Pakistani official added.
Kashmir is claimed in full by both India and Pakistan, which have fought several wars over Muslim majority region since their 1947 independence from British rule.
The latest conflict began on May 7 when India launched strikes against what it said were 鈥榯errorist camps鈥� in Pakistan, triggering an immediate response from Islamabad.
