US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has formally called on Pakistan to condemn the "unconscionable" Pahalgam terror attack and take steps to de-escalate mounting tensions with India, emphasizing the need to maintain peace and security in South Asia. In discussions with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Rubio urged Pakistan to cooperate with ongoing investigations into the attack and to re-establish direct communications with India. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to holding terrorists accountable for acts of violence, according to a statement from US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

The diplomatic intervention comes in the aftermath of the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam attack, where five armed terrorists targeted tourists in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 26 people-mostly Hindu tourists from various Indian states and one foreign national from Nepal-and injuring at least 20 others.

The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, initially claimed responsibility for the massacre but later retracted their claim. The attack, the deadliest of its kind in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, has sharply escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.

Following the attack, there has been a significant increase in ceasefire violations by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. For seven consecutive nights, Pakistani troops have engaged in unprovoked small arms firing across multiple sectors, including Kupwara, Uri, Akhnoor, and Poonch.

The Indian Army has responded proportionately and swiftly to these provocations, with both sides’ Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) holding hotline talks to address the situation. Despite these communications, the violations have continued, threatening the stability of the 2003 ceasefire agreement reaffirmed in 2021.

India has responded to the attack and subsequent escalations by implementing a series of punitive measures against Pakistan. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani diplomats, closing the Integrated Check Post at Attari, and blocking Pakistani airlines from Indian airspace. India has also decided to curtail the strength of High Commissions and has granted its armed forces complete operational freedom to determine the nature and timing of any response to the terror attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after chairing a high-level security meeting, vowed to identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers, asserting that India would pursue justice relentlessly. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) highlighted the cross-border linkages of the attack, noting its timing shortly after successful elections in Jammu and Kashmir and amid the region’s progress toward economic development.

The US intervention reflects international concern over the potential for further escalation between two nuclear-armed neighbours. Washington’s call for condemnation of terrorism and de-escalation underscores the broader imperative for stability in South Asia, as both India and Pakistan face mounting pressure to avoid a larger conflict while addressing the underlying issues of cross-border terrorism and regional security.

ANI