US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday held separate telephone conversations with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging both leaders to dial down tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack which claimed 26 lives on 22 April.
According to US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, Rubio extended condolences for the loss of lives in the Jammu and Kashmir attack and conveyed his sympathies to the victims and their families.
“Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US @SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice,” Jaishankar posted on X, formerly Twitter, confirming the conversation.
Bruce added that the Secretary reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to working with India in the global fight against terrorism. Rubio also encouraged both nations to “engage in dialogue aimed at de-escalating regional tensions and promoting peace and stability in South Asia.”
Rubio later spoke with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to hear Islamabad’s account of recent developments. A statement issued by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office noted that Sharif briefed the US Secretary on Pakistan’s position and expressed concern over what he called India’s “escalatory and provocative behaviour”.
“India’s provocations would only serve to distract Pakistan from its ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism, particularly from terror groups,” AFP quoted Sharif as saying.
Sharif also rejected New Delhi’s allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack and reiterated the demand for an impartial international investigation. He urged Washington to advise India against making “inflammatory statements” that risk inflaming the situation further.
The US State Department had, during its regular press briefing on Tuesday, acknowledged Washington’s ongoing engagement with both India and Pakistan over the Kashmir situation and repeated its call for both countries to avoid further escalation.
India enforces airspace restrictions
India on Tuesday night imposed an airspace ban on all aircraft registered, operated or leased by Pakistan, including commercial and military flights. The NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) came into force on 30 April and will remain active until 23 May.
Pakistani carriers had reportedly begun rerouting flights to avoid Indian airspace in anticipation of retaliatory steps by New Delhi.
The decision follows a series of top-level security meetings chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In these sessions, Modi vowed that the perpetrators and their sponsors would be “pursued to the ends of the earth”.
India has since taken a series of hardline diplomatic measures. These include downgrading diplomatic relations with Pakistan, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling all Pakistani military attachés, and closing the Attari-Wagah border crossing.
Pakistan, in turn, announced reciprocal steps. It suspended the Simla Agreement and moved to sever formal diplomatic engagements with India.
The Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest in the region in recent years, has sharply aggravated tensions between the two countries. While India has squarely blamed Pakistan-based groups for the carnage, Islamabad has dismissed the accusations and called for international scrutiny.
The United States, meanwhile, continues to walk a tightrope—offering firm support to India's counter-terrorism posture while urging both countries to step back from the brink.
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