Washington (TDI): The US has urged both Pakistan and India to hold direct negotiations to ease tensions and said it will support any effort, including a neutral investigation, to ensure the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack are brought to justice.
State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a media briefing on Thursday that the US was aware of Pakistan’s offer for a neutral probe into the Pahalgam attack.
She said that Islamabad wants an independent probe and Washington wants that the perpetrators should be brought to justice, and it is backing any efforts in this regard.
When asked if Pakistan and India have offered any commitments, Bruce stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been clear on two things: “that the situation should not escalate” and “communication was very important”.
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When the spokesperson was asked if Washington supported New Delhi’s view that Islamabad was supporting terrorist groups, she refrained from affirming the accusation.
She termed the Pahalgam incident as “awful”, and said the “back and forth and continuation” of attacks should end.
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Bruce further said that heightened tensions between the two neighbors over the past few weeks were “not surprising but very, very disappointing”.
She added that both sides should prioritize diplomacy which the US would definitely support.
