During the call, S
hehbaz Sharif accused India of engaging in “escalatory and provocative behavior,” amid growing concerns over a potential flare-up between the two nuclear-armed neighbors
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, as tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following a recent Pahalgam terror attack.
According to media reports, he is also likely to call External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
During the call, Sharif accused India of engaging in “escalatory and provocative behavior,” amid growing concerns over a potential flare-up between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
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“India’s provocations would only serve to distract Pakistan from its ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism, particularly from militant groups,” AFP quoted Sharif as saying, according to the statement released by his office.
On Sunday, Washington said it was in touch with the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors at multiple levels while urging them to work towards what it called a “responsible solution.”
“We are reaching out to both parties, and telling, of course, them to not escalate the situation,” a State Department spokesperson told reporters on Sunday, quoting a statement by Rubio.
The State Department had also said Rubio would to speak to the