Rubio tells Pak PM Sharif to cooperate in Pahalgam terror attack probe

Washington, May 1 (IANS) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has urged Pakistan to cooperate in the investigation into the "unconscionable" terrorist attack in Pahalgam and stressed the need to condemn it.

In separate calls to Pakistan's Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Secretary Rubio on Wednesday also urged the two sides to "de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia".

The asymmetry in Secretary Rubio's calls to his counterpart in India on the one hand and the Prime Minister in Pakistan on the other was notable given the importance attached to protocol in global diplomacy.

Commenting on the situation in the region, Tammy Bruce, the US State Department Spokesperson, had said on Tuesday that the US Secretary of State had planned to call the External Affairs Ministers of the two countries to urge them to "not escalate" tensions.

But, as it turned out, the Secretary Rubio did not call Pakistan's Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and went to his boss instead.

"The Secretary spoke of the need to condemn the terror attack on April 22 in Pahalgam," Bruce said in a statement on the Secretary's call with the Pakistani Prime Minister.

"Both leaders reaffirmed their continued commitment to holding terrorists accountable for their heinous acts of violence."

She further 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."

In his call with the External Affairs Minister Jaishankar, Secretary Rubio, said, according to the Spokesperson, "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".

Bruce added that Secretary Rubio "also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia".

The tone and content of the call with the External Affairs Minister was steeped in empathy, from the leader of one victim of terrorism to the leader of another.

The US has been steadfast and committed to India's efforts to combat terrorism, cutting across Presidents and parties.

US President Donald Trump called India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi within hours of the April 22 attack in Pahalgam and had himself announced the decision to extradite Tahawwur Rana to India during the Prime Minister's White House visit in February.

Rana is now in custody in India.

--IANS

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