US following Indo-Pak situation 'very closely'

WASHINGTON: Department of State Spokesperson Mark Toner on Friday said that the United States is following the situation very closely after the recent tension between Pakistan and India.

Addressing a press briefing, he said, “We’re continuing to follow the situation on the ground very closely. From our perspective, we urge calm and restraint by both sides”.

Toner said that the Pakistani and Indian militaries have been in communication.

“We believe that continued communication between them is important to reduce tensions. we certainly don’t want to see any kind of escalation and certainly any kind of break in that communication”, he added.

To a question about Indian claim regarding surgical strike inside Pakistan territory, he said, “It’s not for me to confirm it happened. It’s for the governments themselves to speak to their roles”.

The spokesperson said that nuclear-capable states have a very clear responsibility to exercise restraint regarding nuclear weapons and missile capabilities.

“That’s certainly our message directly to the Pakistani authorities”, he added.

On Thursday two Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom when Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing across the LoC.

The unprovoked fire was painted as a surgical strike by senior Indian officials, in a move apparently aimed to satisfy the public.

Pakistan rebuffed the claims with the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) saying, "There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross-border fire initiated and conducted by Indian forces which is an existential phenomenon".

Of late, tensions soared high between the two nuclear-armed adversaries over occupied Kashmir and an attack on Indian army's brigade headquarters in Uri, which left 18 soldiers dead.