Rubio urges Pakistan, India to de-escalate tensions after Pahalgam attack
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends an interview after meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the Diriyah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 18, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a phone call from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, during which both sides discussed heightened regional tensions, counter-terrorism cooperation, and the strengthening of bilateral relations.
According to the US State Department, Rubio urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions after last week's militant attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He spoke separately with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and PM Shehbaz while expressing support to India in combating extremism and urging Pakistan to cooperate in probing the attack that killed more than two dozen people, the US State Department said in separate statements after the calls.
Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz conveyed his best wishes for President Donald Trump and expressed Pakistan’s willingness to engage closely with the US across areas of mutual interest, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office.
The PM strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, while sharing Pakistan’s perspective on the regional situation. He cited the country’s sacrifices in the global war on terror, including over 90,000 lives lost and $152 billion in economic damages.
PM Shehbaz criticised India’s “escalatory and provocative behaviour,” warning that such actions risked undermining Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts, particularly against groups like ISKP, TTP, and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which he claimed were operating from Afghan territory.
He categorically rejected India's attempts to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident and reiterated the call for a neutral, international investigation. The PM urged the US to play a role in encouraging India to de-escalate and refrain from inflammatory rhetoric.
Raising concern over India’s alleged move to “weaponise water,” he warned it could endanger 240 million Pakistanis and violated the Indus Waters Treaty. He emphasised that the treaty did not allow for unilateral breaches.
On Kashmir, the PM reaffirmed that a peaceful resolution was essential for regional stability.
Discussing Pakistan-US ties, PM Shehbaz recalled the seven-decade-long partnership and stressed the need to deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism and economic sectors, particularly the mineral industry. He also highlighted the government’s ongoing economic reforms, which he said had set Pakistan on a path to recovery.