US calls for calm as India-Pakistan tensions rise post-Kashmir attack

The United States has urged India and Pakistan to reduce escalating tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate conversations with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. During these talks, Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s strong commitment to counterterrorism cooperation with India and encouraged Pakistan to fully support efforts to investigate the ‘Unconscionable’ attack.

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Despite these diplomatic efforts, hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have continued. Ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) entered their seventh day, highlighting the deepening mistrust between the two sides. In a strong retaliatory move, India has closed its airspace to all Pakistan-owned, operated, or leased aircraft and has blocked Instagram accounts of several popular Pakistani celebrities. These actions follow a series of punitive measures taken by India after the terror attack, which was claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has appointed Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik,current chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as its new National Security Advisor (NSA). The dual role is intended to bring tighter coordination between Pakistan's intelligence operations and national security planning amid rising regional tensions.