Ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people on April 22, in the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. PM Modi has vowed to punish the terrorists involved in the attack and their backers.
In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, Pakistan has turned to Russia for diplomatic intervention to help defuse mounting tensions with India. Pakistan’s ambassador to Moscow, Mohammad Khalid Jamali, has formally sought Russia’s assistance in de-escalating the situation.
Speaking in an interview set to be published by Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, Ambassador Jamali highlighted Moscow’s position as a privileged strategic partner of India while maintaining strong ties with Pakistan. He expressed hope that Russia could leverage this dual relationship to play a constructive mediating role, much like it did in 1966 during the Tashkent negotiations that helped end the armed conflict between India and Pakistan.
Meanwhile, on Friday, during his phone call with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov urged the two sides to de-escalate following the Pahalgam attack in the spirit of 1972 Simla Accord and 1999 Lahore Declaration which provide for bilaterally resolving issues without third-party mediation.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held a telephonic conversation with Lavrov, according to a statement by Pakistan’s Foreign Office. Dar apprised Lavrov of recent regional developments, the statement added. “Lavrov expressed concern over the situation and stressed the importance of diplomacy to resolve issues. He emphasised that both sides should exercise restraint and avoid escalation,” the Foreign Office said.
It is to be noted here that ties between India and Pakistan plummeted following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. India, among other punitive actions, announced the suspension of the 1960 Indus accord, which governs water sharing between the two countries. Earlier on April 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to punish the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam terror attack and their backers.
Pahalgam terror attack
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed and more than a dozen others injured in the Pahalgam terror attack which occurred on April 22. This has been one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Following the terror attack, security forces launched search operations to track down the terrorists responsible. Security has been heightened since the attack, with visuals from the area showing the streets deserted in the usually bustling tourist area.
(With inputs from PTI)
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