U.S. urges India and Pakistan to ‘de-escalate’; Marco Rubio talks to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

The U.S. has called on India and Pakistan “not to escalate” the tension between them following the Pahalgam terror attack

The U.S. has called on India and Pakistan “not to escalate” the tension between them following the Pahalgam terror attack, the U.S. State Department said on Tuesday (April 29, 2025).

Washington was reaching out to both New Delhi and Islamabad regarding the Kashmir situation and telling them not to escalate the situation, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday (April 30, 2025), Mr. Sharif’s office said in a statement. Ms. Bruce had said that Mr. Rubio was expected to speak “at the earliest” to Foreign Ministers of both countries.

Mr. Sharif accused India of “escalatory and provocative behavior” and urged the U.S. to impress upon India to dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly, the statement added.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) that the country had credible intelligence that India intends to launch a military strike within the next 36 hours.

The External Affairs Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr. Rubio “is encouraging other national leaders and Foreign Ministers to reach out to the countries on this issue”, the State Department spokesperson said. “Obviously, we’re also monitoring the developments across the board in that region, and we are in touch with the governments of India and Pakistanat multiple levels. We are encouraging all parties to work together for a responsible solution. The world is watching this,” she added.