Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has once again thanked US President Donald Trump for resolving the India-Pakistan conflict in May.

New Delhi has been consistently maintaining that India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes, and no third party was involved in the process.

“It was President Trump's bold and decisive leadership that brought about the ceasefire between Pakistan and India, restoring peace in South Asia, averting a major war, and saving millions of people,” Sharif said while addressing Azerbaijan’s Victory Day parade in Baku on Saturday.

Since May 10, when Trump announced on social media that India and Pakistan had agreed to a “full and immediate ceasefire" after a “long night” of talks mediated by Washington, he has repeated his claim several times that he “helped settle” the tensions between the two countries.

India has consistently denied any third-party intervention.

Pakistan has praised Trump on multiple occasions, claiming that he brokered a ceasefire during the May conflict.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.

In his address, Sharif also mentioned Kashmir, saying that Azerbaijan's victory in Karabakh is a beacon of hope for all nations fighting against oppression.

The Prime Minister said Pakistan seeks peace, but it will not allow anyone to challenge its sovereignty or undermine territorial integrity.

The parade also included contingents of the armed forces from Pakistan and Turkiye who marched alongside Azerbaijani forces. The ceremony also included a splendid flypast of JF-17 Thunder jets.

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Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): Four people were arrested for allegedly assaulting, illegally confining and attempting to extort money from a 39-year-old businessman who was lured through a honeytrap set up on social media, police said on Monday.

The accused have been identified as Rachana, Malati, Darshan and Ravi.

Police said efforts are underway to nab the remaining suspects involved in the incident, which occurred on December 12 in Madikeri, the district headquarters of Kodagu.

According to the complaint, the victim, a resident of Maddur taluk in Mandya district, was befriended by a woman identified as Rachana through Facebook, who later sought financial assistance and received Rs 5,000 from him via PhonePe on November 28.

When he asked her to return the money, the woman allegedly asked him to travel to Mysuru or Kushalnagar, promising to meet him.

The police said the woman later called the victim to Madikeri on December 12 and took him to a house near the market area, where they spent some time and consumed alcohol in the evening.

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Later that night, citing an emergency, the woman left the house. After her departure, three men allegedly broke into the house and attacked the victim, assaulting him with a stick and the handle of a sword, causing injuries to his face, mouth, chest and leg, the FIR stated.

The complainant alleged that he was forcibly confined, stripped and a nude video of him was recorded. The accused also allegedly threatened him with a toy gun, demanding Rs 50 lakh and warning that the video would be uploaded on social media if the money was not paid.

Police said the victim was held captive and somehow managed to escape in the early hours of December 13. However, after he escaped, the accused allegedly attempted to kidnap him in an autorickshaw, an incident that was captured on CCTV cameras.

Based on his complaint at the Madikeri Town police station, a case was registered under Sections 310(2) (dacoity), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a senior police officer said.

“Four accused, including two women, have been arrested. Efforts are on to nab two more absconding accused. Further investigation is on,” he added.