Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio talk on Pahalgam attack: ‘Backers, planners must be brought to justice’

“Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US @SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice,” Jaishankar posted on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Earlier, US State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce had said, “Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar today. The Secretary 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. He also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia.”

The US has also reached out to India and Pakistan, asking them “not to escalate the situation”. US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce told the press: “Every day action is being taken. In this case, the Secretary speaking directly to his counterparts in India and Pakistan… We expect… the impact he has usually had with the individuals he has spoken with, and certainly with President Trump’s leadership, India and Pakistan having those conversations. It’s very important for them.”

Calls for restraint and de-escalation are not new. In the past too, in the wake of terror attacks, there have been similar calls.

In 2019, after the Pulwama terror attack, Mike Pompeo, the then US Secretary of State, had spoken to late Sushma Swaraj, the then External Affairs Minister, calling for de-escalation and exercising restraint.

In 2016, after the Uri terror attack, John Kerry, who was then US Secretary of State, had called Sushma Swaraj and called for de-escalation.

Both times, India had carried out retaliatory strikes against Pakistan.