OTHER CALLS FOR DE-ESCALATION
Countries from around the world, from the United States to China, have urged the two rivals to calm tensions, with US Vice President JD Vance on Thursday reiterating US calls for de-escalation.
“We want this thing to de-escalate as quickly as possible. We can’t control these countries, though,” he said in an interview on Fox News.
Several countries have offered to serve as mediators, and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi on Thursday, days after visiting Pakistan.
Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir was, meanwhile, scheduled to visit Pakistan on Friday, according to a senior Pakistani official.
Al-Jubeir, too, was in India on Thursday and also met Jaishankar, who said he “shared India’s perspectives on firmly countering terrorism” with him.
Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif told parliament that Islamabad is “speaking daily” to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and China about de-escalating the crisis.
Also addressing the crisis on Thursday was Amnesty International, which said that the warring sides “must take all necessary measures to protect civilians and minimise any suffering and casualties”.
Since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947 and becoming separate nations, Hindu-majority India and Muslim-majority Pakistan have experienced a strained and often tense relationship.
Kashmir, a predominantly Muslim region, is divided between them but claimed in full by both.
It has been a central point of conflict between the two nations, with two of their three wars having been fought over its control.
Read the full article here
