Pahalgam: Rubio dials Jaishankar and Shehbaz Sharif, tells Pakistan to condemn terror attack

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke separately with External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar after a phone conversation with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, amid rising India-Pakistan tensions following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistan-based terrorists killed 26 civilians.

“Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar today. The Secretary expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam 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,” US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

The US has encouraged India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions, reaffirming its commitment to cooperate with New Delhi against terrorism.

US urges Pak to condemn the attack

In his conversation with Sharif, Rubio emphasised the need to condemn the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam and urged Pakistani officials to cooperate 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.

Sharif accused India of taking provocative actions, as tensions rose between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. “India’s provocations would only serve to distract Pakistan from its ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism, particularly from terror groups,” Sharif said.

Pahalgam Terror Attack

The Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike, claimed the lives of at least 26 people, including foreign nationals, and left many others injured. The Resistance Front (TRF), an outfit linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the attack.

In response, India strongly condemned Pakistan for supporting cross-border terrorism. India downgraded diplomatic ties, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, reduced Pakistan’s diplomatic presence in New Delhi, and expelled military officials. The Attari check post was also closed.

Pakistan responded to the measures, announcing it would withdraw from the 1972 Simla Agreement and close the Wagah border.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged firm action, vowing to track down the terrorists “to the ends of the earth.” In response, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned that any changes to the Indus Waters Treaty would be regarded as “an act of war.”