JD Vance calls on Pakistan to cooperate with India to tackle militants

U.S. Vice President JD Vance has called for calm in South Asia following a deadly militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, urging New Delhi to avoid escalating tensions and encouraging Islamabad to cooperate in tackling cross-border terrorism.

Vance said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and hoped both countries would act responsibly in the wake of the assault, which Indian authorities have blamed on Pakistan-based Islamist militants, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

“Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that doesn't lead to a broader regional conflict,” Vance said.

India has yet to officially announce its response to the attack, but past incidents have led to military skirmishes between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The Vice President further urged Pakistan to assist in counterterrorism efforts.

“And we hope, frankly, that Pakistan, to the extent that they're responsible, cooperates with India to make sure that the terrorists sometimes operating in their territory are hunted down and dealt with,” he added.

Note that, tensions between India and Pakistan have surged after a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Indian-administered Kashmir killed 28 civilians, mostly Hindu pilgrims. India blamed the assault on Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, despite the militant group initially denying involvement. The incident has triggered a series of retaliatory diplomatic and military actions from both sides.

In response, New Delhi revoked key provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, halted visa processing for Pakistani citizens, and sealed the Attari-Wagah border crossing. Islamabad countered by suspending bilateral agreements, expelling Indian diplomats, and closing its airspace to Indian aircraft.

Military activity along the Line of Control has intensified, with frequent cross-border shelling reported. India launched “Exercise Aakraman” involving frontline fighter jets and armoured divisions, signalling heightened operational readiness. Pakistan, meanwhile, has closed several religious seminaries in its portion of Kashmir, fearing further Indian airstrikes.

The United States, via Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has urged both sides to de-escalate and cooperate on counterterrorism. The UN and China have issued similar calls for restraint amid concerns about the risk of conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals.

By Aghakazim Guliyev