Amid rising tensions over Pakistan's accusations against India, the United States has decided to stay out of it. The US has urged both countries to engage in dialogue instead of escalating the situation.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller responded to questions about Washington's position on a recent UK media report. The report cited Pakistani officials alleging that India was responsible for killings of individuals linked to terrorism and extremism on Pakistani soil, reported PTI. Indian officials dismissed the allegations as "false and malicious anti-India propaganda."
"We have been following the media reports about this issue. We don’t have any comment on the underlying allegations, but of course, while we’re not going to get in the middle of this situation, we encourage both sides to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue," said Miller during a press briefing.
The Guardian newspaper published a report stating the Indian government had killed about 20 people in Pakistan since 2020 as part of a broader plan to target “terrorists residing on foreign soil”.
India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh last week said that if terrorists try to disturb peace in India or carry out terror activities, a befitting response will be given and if they run away to Pakistan, India will enter the neighbouring country to kill them, reported.
Responding to Singh's comments, Pakistan criticised his statement and said it stands resolute in its intent and ability to safeguard its sovereignty, reported PTI. “History attests to Pakistan's firm resolve and ability to protect and defend itself,” the Pakistani Foreign Office said in a statement.
Pakistan earlier this year had said it had credible evidence linking Indian agents to the killing of two of its citizens on its soil. The report in The Guardian comes months after Canada and the US accused India of killing or attempting to kill people in those countries.
Relations between the countries have worsened since a 2019 suicide bombing of an Indian military convoy in Kashmir was traced to Pakistan-based militants, leading New Delhi to carry out an airstrike on what it said was a militant base in Pakistan.
The ties between India and Pakistan further deteriorated after India abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the State into two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.
India’s decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy. India has repeatedly told Pakistan that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is, and shall forever” remain an integral part of the country.
(Agencies)
Sara Sharif’s father Urfan Sharif and his wife Beinash Batool (Image credit: Surrey Police)