New Delhi: Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio dialled both Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, calling for de-escalation, and maintenance of peace and security in South Asia.
US Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce said that during his call with Jaishankar, Rubio expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism. “He also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia,” the spokesperson said.
On his part, Jaishankar posted on X early Thursday morning to say that he had discussed the Pahalgam attack with the US Secretary. “Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice,” he wrote.
Regarding Rubio’s conversation with Sharif, a readout by the Department of State said that he spoke of the need to condemn the terror attack. Both leaders reaffirmed their continued commitment to holding terrorists accountable for their heinous acts of violence, it said.
“The Secretary urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack. He also encouraged Pakistan to work with India to de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia,” the statement read.
Hours after the call, Pakistan appointed Inter-Services Intelligence chief Lieutenant General Asim Malik as the National Security Advisor (NSA) to Sharif, as an additional charge. It is believed that the additional charge has been given to Malik to coordinate Pakistan’s politico-military response to the crisis and undertake any back channel talks that may be held.
Following the Pahalgam attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to bring the preparators of the attack to justice and announced that armed forces have “full operational freedom to decide the mode, timing, and target of India’s response to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam”.
The decision came after a meeting he held with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh on 29 April.
Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan has put its entire military on high alert, even as the Indian security forces led by the Army continue the hunt for the four terrorists who carried out the killings. After over a week since the attack, the security forces have not yet been able to pin down the terrorists, who are on foot and have managed to evade them since.
Since the attack, the fragile ceasefire agreement renewed in 2021 is up in flames, with regular exchange of fire all along the Line of Control, and even at places along the International Border in the Jammu region.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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