Amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, the leadership of each nuclear-armed country appeared to reserve room for open talks as way out of growing war.
It comes after India launched its airstrike on Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp on Tuesday, making it the first over decades where Indian warplanes crossed into Pakistan.
United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke separately with the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan and urged them avoid “further military activity”.
Pompeo spoke with Pakistan’s FM 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, the US Department of State said in a statement.
“I expressed to both Ministers that we encourage India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost,” Pompeo said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, outraging social media posts suggest Pak-India’s escalating tensions could indirectly affect ongoing peace process in Afghanistan.
[Earlier: ‘India Strikes Jaish Training Camp’]
India has launched its air strikes on Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammadi in Kashmir at 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday, local media confirmed.
According to sources, Indian Air Force (IAF) dropped bombs weighted 1,000 kg, including the IAF’s Mirage 2000, on bases across the Line of Control (LoC) by multiple jets.
Pakistan Military spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian Air Force violated the Line of Control.
Indian aircrafts intruded into Pakistan from the Muzafarabad sector and dropped in Balakot sector, Ghafoor tweeted on early Tuesday morning. No causalities were reported in the attack.
Indian aircrafts’ intrusion across LOC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJ&K was 3-4 miles.Under forced hasty withdrawal aircrafts released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow.
— Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor (@OfficialDGISPR) February 26, 2019
It comes weeks later when suicide bombing hit a convoy of Indian forces in Kashmir, accumulating tensions between India and Pakistan after deadly attack.
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