US, China urge Pakistan, India to exercise restraint and avoid escalation

Turkey categorically announces to stand by Pakistan in the pace of Indian aggression

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday urged Pakistan and India to exercise restraint and avoid escalation at any cost after Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down two Indian jets.

Pompeo said in a statement he had spoken to foreign ministers from Indian and Pakistan and “encouraged both Ministers to prioritize direct communication and avoid further military activity.”

 



China’s Foreign Ministry also reiterated its call for India and Pakistan to exercise restraint.

Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the comment at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

Meanwhile, Turkey has categorically announced to stand by Pakistan and its people in the pace of Indian aggression, said Radio Pakistan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusoglu expressed the sentiments during his telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday.

Sharing details of his talk, Qureshi in an interview today said that the Turkish Foreign Minister also declared to oppose if the Indian External Affairs Minister was given an opportunity to speak at the upcoming OIC meeting in Abu Dhabi.

The foreign minister said the UN Secretary-General also telephoned him and while expressing concern over the current situation assured to play his role in whatever way and manner he could.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft were shot down on Wednesday by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Indian targets across the Line of Control (LoC) were struck by Pakistani fighter jets from within friendly airspace as the country’s armed forces struck back after unprovoked Indian aggression a day earlier.



According to the military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor, the Indian aircraft crossed the LoC, the PAF retaliated and two Indian aircraft were shot down in Pakistani airspace.

The Director General (DG) Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), who had earlier confirmed the capture of an Indian pilot, said that Pakistani forces have also captured two IAF pilots.