The US on Wednesday advised Pakistan to take meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil and take measures aimed at de-escalating tension with India.
The US said this after Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets bombed Jaish-e-Mohammad’s terrorist camp in Pakistan on Tuesday.
This is seen as a big diplomatic victory for India.
Forty Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a suicide attack carried out a suicide bomber owing allegiance to JeM in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on February 14, leading to massive outrage across India.
India retaliated on Tuesday by bombing at JeM’s biggest training camp at Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The site of the attack is located about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC).
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo talked to Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on phone and asked him to avoid military action against India.
Pompeo also called Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and emphasised the close security partnership between the US and India.
“Following Indian counter-terrorism actions on February 26, I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Swaraj to emphasise our close security partnership and shared goal of maintaining peace and security in the region,” Pompeo said in a statement.
“I also spoke to Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions by avoiding military action, and the urgency of Pakistan taking meaningful action against terrorist groups operating on its soil,” he added.
The US Secretary of State said that he had asked both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost. “I also encouraged both ministers to prioritise direct communication and avoid further military activity,” Pompeo noted. (UNI)
US asks Pak to avoid action against India
