Mike Pompeo urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint

WASHINGTON: United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, in the wake of increasing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbouring countries.

The secretary after talking with his counterparts of both the countries maintained, the US encourages India and Pakistan to exercise restraint, and avoid escalation at any cost.

“I spoke with Indian Minister of External Affairs Swaraj and Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi and emphasized both the countries to underscore the priority of de-escalating current tensions,” Pompeo said.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi telephoned the US secretary of state and briefed him on the violation by India at the Line of Control (LoC).

During the conversation, the minister said Pakistan would never compromise on its integrity. “We want peace and tranquility in the region.”

Qureshi conveyed the sentiments of parliament, government of Pakistan, and people of the country to Mike Pompeo.

Pakistan always exercised restraint for peace and stability in the region, but India was always sabotaging our efforts.

In the wee hours of Tuesday, Indian military aircraft violated the Line of Control as they intruded from the Muzaffarabad sector but were forced to return owing to the timely response of the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said.

The incursion into the Pakistani air space follows a series of threats by Indian political and military leadership after the attack on an Indian Army convoy at Pulwama by a local youth, in reaction to the oppression unleashed by the occupational forces.