Our Bureau
Washington, DC
In a recent interview, US Vice President J D Vance said that the United States wants Pakistan to “cooperate” with New Delhi in order to “hunt down” militants who occasionally operate from their territory and hopes that India will respond to the Pahalgam terrorist assault in a way that avoids a “broader regional confrontation.”
In an appearance with Fox News on Thursday, Vance spelled out his stance on the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir. The incident, which was the worst since the Pulwama strike in 2019, happened when Vance and his family were in India for four days.
Vance on Fox News’s ‘Special Report’ stated, “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, “Well, sure, I’m worried about any time you see a hot spot breaking out, especially between two nuclear powers,” in response to another question, “You worried about India and Pakistan?”
The US Vice President, added further, “We’ve obviously been in close contact with our friends in India and Pakistan. Our hope here is that India responds to this terrorist attack in a way that does not lead to a broader regional conflict.”
In a significant gesture, Vance said, “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. That’s how we hope this unfolds, we’re obviously in close contact. We’ll see what happens.”
Vance’s comments take on importance in light of the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
In a subsequent post on X, Vance, who was in India last month, denounced the incident and showed support for the victims and their families.
Global leaders swiftly condemned the Pahalgam terror incident on April 22, which killed 26 lives, and denounced such acts of terrorism and showed support for India.
The Pahalgam terror attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a front for the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) organization based in Pakistan.
India declared a number of measures, including the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and the immediate closure of the Attari land-transit post, after the Pahalgam attack, the deadliest in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019.
