Pak-India standoff: US not to take sides

WASHINGTON: The United States (US) has once again denounced the deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), but declined to comment on whether it is playing any role in easing the growing tensions between Pakistan and India.

This comes after gunmen attacked tourists in IIOJK’s Baisaran Valley, killing 26 people and sparking a fresh diplomatic standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. India blamed Pakistan for the incident, a claim Islamabad has categorically rejected.

During a press briefing, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, “The United States stands with India and strongly condemns all acts of terrorism.” She offered condolences for the victims and demanded that those responsible be held accountable.

Standoff with India could lead to ‘war’, warns Pakistan

However, when asked whether the US, as it once did during former President Donald Trump’s tenure, would mediate between the two countries, Bruce refused to comment. “I’m not going to be remarking on that. The president and secretary have made their positions clear,” she said.

Bruce also avoided commenting on the possibility of Washington stepping in to help defuse tensions. “It’s a rapidly evolving situation, and we are monitoring it closely,” she said. She further added that the US is not taking a position on the status of Jammu or Kashmir.

UN CALLS FOR RESTRAINT

The United Nations (UN) has asked both Pakistan and India to exercise ‘restraint’ as the relations between the two nuclear neighbours reach its lowest ebb.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday, “We urge both governments to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that the situation, and the developments we’ve seen, do not escalate further.”

“We believe that any issue between Pakistan and India can and should be resolved peacefully through meaningful bilateral engagement”, he said.