US urges Pakistan, India to avoid escalation, talk out issues

WASHINGTON: The US on Monday urged Pakistan and India to avoid escalation in tensions and work towards resolving issues through dialogue.

Responding to a question about claims that the Indian government had ordered killings in Pakistan, the US State Department spokesperson during the weekly briefing said that they had been following media reports about the issue. “We don’t have any comment on the underlined allegations,” spokesperson Matthew Miller said, adding, “But, of course, while we are not going to get in the middle of this situation, we encourage both sides to avoid escalation and find a resolution through dialogue.”

To another question, Miller reconfirmed that the US Secretary of State spoke with the foreign minister of Pakistan on Friday. “The call was to reaffirm our robust partnership which advances the prosperity of Pakistan and the US,” he said. Both leaders discussed the importance of continued cooperation on counterterrorism, expanding our trade and investment partnership, and advancing women’s economic security and empowerment, he said.