Islamabad/New Delhi, May 2, 2025 – The United States has urged India to respond cautiously to the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives, amid growing concerns that retaliatory measures could escalate into a broader regional conflict.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance stated that Washington hopes India’s response will not lead to further instability in South Asia. He also called on Pakistan to cooperate in tracking down militants responsible for the attack.
India, however, has renewed its call for justice, with Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar insisting that the perpetrators, backers, and planners of the attack must be held accountable. The Indian government has already taken punitive measures, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing airspace to Pakistani airlines, and expelling Pakistani diplomats.
READ MORE: US urges Pakistan’s cooperation in Pahalgam probe, calls on India to exercise restraint
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari met to discuss the security situation, vowing a “befitting response” to any aggression from India. The Pakistani leadership has rejected allegations of involvement in the attack and called for a neutral investigation.
The attack has reignited tensions over Kashmir, a region that has been at the center of multiple conflicts between India and Pakistan. The dispute dates back to 1947, when both nations gained independence and began vying for control over the territory.
With diplomatic relations deteriorating, the United Nations and China have urged restraint, while the U.S. continues to mediate between the two nuclear-armed neighbors
