The United States has urged India and Pakistan "not to escalate" the conflict, a Washington spokesperson said even as Pakistan's information minister Attaullah Tarar said that Islamabad has “credible intelligence” that Delhi intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours in retaliation for the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed at least 26 people, mostly tourists.
US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a press briefing on Tuesday – early Wednesday India time – that Washington is reaching out to both India and Pakistan "regarding the Kashmir situation” and telling "them not to escalate the situation."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio “expects to speak with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India as early as today or tomorrow. He is encouraging other national leaders and foreign ministers to reach out to the countries on this issue,” Bruce said.
"So it is – again, as I’ve noted, every day action is being taken, in this case the Secretary speaking directly to his counterparts in India and Pakistan, and we’ll – we expect certainly the impact he’s usually had with the individuals he’s spoken with and certainly with President Trump’s leadership, India and Pakistan having those conversations. It’s very important for them,” Bruce said.
Asked about Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif’s comments that Islamabad has "been doing this dirty work for United States”, Bruce said: “The only thing I’m really prepared to discuss here is the fact that the Secretary of State is going to be speaking with the foreign ministers of both countries.”
He added: “What I can tell you – obviously, we’re also monitoring the developments across the board in that region, and we – as you know, at multiple levels, I have to say – are in touch with the governments of India and Pakistan, not just at the foreign minister level, certainly, but at multiple levels. We, of course, are encouraging all parties to work together for a responsible solution. The world is watching this. But I have no additional details in that regard.”
In a late evening post on X, Pakistan's information minister Attaullah Tarar wrote: "Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours using the Pahalgam incident as a false pretext.
"Any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response. India will be fully responsible for any serious consequences in the region," he added.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told the top defence brass that the armed forces have "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pahalgam terror attack, according to government sources.
During the high-level meeting, which was attended by defence minister Rajnath Singh, national security advisor Ajit Doval and chiefs of the three services, Modi affirmed that it is the national resolve to deal a crushing blow to terrorism, the sources said.