U.S. acting Pentagon chief focused on de-escalating India-Pakistan tensions

WASHINGTON: Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan is focused on de-escalating tensions between India and Pakistan and urged them both to avoid further military action, the Pentagon said on Wednesday, without saying if he had spoken with his counterparts from either nation.

In a statement, the Pentagon said Shanahan had spoken with senior U.S. military officials about the situation.

“Acting Secretary Shanahan’s focus is on de-escalating tensions and urging both of the nations to avoid further military action,” the statement added.

On Wednesday, a United States’ think tank while expressing concern over the escalation between Pakistan and India termed it dangerous for the entire region.

Read more: Pompeo urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint

In its report, Council on Foreign Relations, the US think tank, said that the rising tension between Pakistan and India would affect the whole region specially Afghanistan.

Terming the Indian intrusion wrong, the US think tank said that the New Delhi’s action was a ‘dangerous move’ to achieve political goals. The US think tank said that the current situation in very lethal for the regional peace.

Read more: China urges Pakistan, India to seek dialogue to defuse rising tensions  

Two fighter jets of Indian Air Force (IAF) were shot down by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in bright day light, Director General Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor reported.

According to the DG ISPR, Indian fighter jets violated Line of Control (LoC) today, and in a robust response, the PAF destroyed two aircraft of IAF inside Pakistani airspace. Moreover, two Indian pilot has been arrested by Pakistani troops.