United Nations: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following last week’s deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, the United States has called on both nations to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to speak with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar to personally convey Washington’s concerns.
“We are reaching out to both parties and telling, of course, them not to escalate the situation,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing, reading out a statement from Secretary Rubio. “The Secretary expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow,” Bruce noted.
She added that Rubio has urged other world leaders and foreign ministers to also reach out to the two South Asian neighbours with the same message of restraint. Bruce also mentioned that the US has engaged with both countries at levels beyond the foreign ministers, though she did not provide further details.
The US appeal came just hours after PM Modi chaired a high-level security meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force on Tuesday. During the meeting, Modi gave the armed forces “complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing of our response,” according to official sources.
US Asks India, Pak To Avoid Any Escalation
