‘Perpetrators, planners must be brought to justice’, EAM Jaishankar discusses Pahalgam attack with US Secy

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar said on Thursday that he discussed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and said the perpetrators and planners have to be brought to justice.

In a post on X in the morning, the EAM wrote, “Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US@SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice.”

The post comes after Rubio spoke with Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, amid escalating tensions between the two countries after terrorists in the Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir brutally killed 26 people.

Rubio urged the leaders of both countries to work to de-escalate tensions between them and maintain peace and security in South Asia.

He reaffirmed the US’s commitment to cooperate with India against terrorism and urged Pakistan’s cooperation in investigating the “unconscionable” attack in Kashmir and stressed the need to condemn it.

Earlier, Tammy Bruce, the US State Department Spokesperson, said that in his call with the EAM Jaishankar, Secretary Rubio, “expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism”.

Bruce added that Secretary Rubio “also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia”.

She further said: “The Secretary urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack. He also encouraged Pakistan to work with India to de-escalate tensions, re-establish direct communications, and maintain peace and security in South Asia.”

“Both leaders reaffirmed their continued commitment to holding terrorists accountable for their heinous acts of violence. The Secretary urged Pakistani officials’ cooperation in investigating this unconscionable attack,” said Bruce.

India has blamed Pakistan for the attack after The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) claimed responsibility for it.

Meanwhile, for the seventh consecutive day on Thursday, the Pakistan Army resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said, “During the night of 30 April and May 1, Pakistan Army posts initiated unprovoked small-arms fire across the LoC opposite Kupwara, Uri and Akhnoor sectors in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. These were responded (to) proportionately by the Indian Army.”

For the last seven days, Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked firing on the LoC and on Wednesday, Pakistan Rangers fired with small arms at the Indian posts along the International Border in the Pargwal sector of Jammu district.

IANS