Pakistani defence minister highlights US role in de-escalating border crisis with India

Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, stated that the United States is at the forefront of global efforts to reduce escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Asif made the remarks in an interview with Reuters, highlighting the growing concerns over recent developments along the border between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, Caliber.Az reports.

The minister specifically referred to recent drone incursions by India into Pakistani territory, which he described as significantly raising the likelihood of an attack on India by Pakistan. Asif emphasized that the situation was becoming increasingly volatile, and Pakistan's response to these provocations seemed “increasingly certain.”

“The United States is leading global efforts to reduce tensions between India and Pakistan,” Asif said.

According to the minister, Gulf nations were also involved in de-escaltion efforts.

Asif categorically denied Indian claims that Pakistan’s air defences in Lahore had been damaged by Indian drone strikes. He further clarified that there had been no damage to Pakistan’s military sites from the drones, emphasizing that any retaliation would target Indian military installations.

The ongoing conflict between India and Pakistan has intensified following a series of drone and missile attacks. India has alleged that Pakistan attempted to launch drones and missiles aimed at several military targets across its northern and western regions, including the cities of Amritsar, Srinagar, and Chandigarh. India claims that its air defense systems intercepted and thwarted all the attacks.

Pakistan, on the other hand, claims to have shot down 25 Indian drones during the same period. Indian missile strikes on Pakistani territory on May 7 resulted in the deaths of 31 people. Pakistan's military spokesperson, General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, stated that a confrontation involving an airborne Indian device led to four Pakistani soldiers being injured, while one civilian was killed in a separate drone-related incident.

The tension between the two nations has been steadily escalating since the April 22 attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where militants killed more than two dozen tourists, mostly Indian Hindus, in Pahalgam. The attack has added fuel to the already volatile situation.

The dispute over Kashmir, which has been ongoing since India and Pakistan gained independence from Britain in 1947, remains a central issue. Both countries claim the region in full, but each controls a portion separated by one of the world’s most heavily militarized borders — the "Line of Control," established after the 1947-48 war and the subsequent ceasefire. This territorial dispute has led to multiple conflicts, including wars in 1947-48 and 1999.

As tensions continue to mount, both countries have made clear their readiness for military action, while the international community, including the United States and Gulf nations, is working to mediate and prevent further escalation.

By Vafa Guliyeva