WASHINGTON: The State Department said that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone conversation on Saturday with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir offering American mediation to help de-escalate rising tensions between Pakistan and India.
In a statement issued by State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce, it was confirmed that Rubio expressed concern over the recent spike in hostilities and urged both sides to “find ways to reduce tensions.”
The call came at a critical time when Pakistan announced retaliatory action against India on Saturday, claiming it had targeted Indian military installations in response to an alleged earlier aggression by New Delhi.
The situation between the two nuclear-armed neighbors has once again drawn global attention due to the risk of further escalation.
The U.S. statement noted that Secretary Rubio not only emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation but also offered American mediation to initiate dialogue between the two countries in order to prevent future conflict.
So far, there has been no official response from Pakistan’s military or foreign office regarding the U.S. outreach. India has also not issued any statement in response.
Experts point out that while the U.S. offer of mediation is unusual, India has traditionally rejected third-party involvement in its disputes with Pakistan.
This development underscores once again the importance of proactive international diplomacy in South Asia to avert any potential military confrontation.
