WASHINGTON: US Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday Washington hoped Pakistan would cooperate with India to hunt down Pakistan-based militants, and that India’s response to the recent Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir does not lead to a broader regional conflict.
“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 in an interview on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” show.
“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,” Vance added.
Vance’s comments are the closest the US government has come since the April 22 attack — in which 26 people were killed — to potentially linking Pakistan to extremism in India.
Top US leaders, including President Donald Trump, have condemned the attack, calling it “terror” and “unconscionable,” while expressing support for India without directly blaming Pakistan.
India is an important US partner as Washington aims to counter China’s rising influence. Pakistan remains Washington’s ally even as its importance diminished after the 2021 US withdrawal from neighboring Afghanistan.
In recent days, Washington urged India and Pakistan to work with each other to de-escalate tensions and arrive at a “responsible solution.”
India has blamed Pakistan for the attack. Islamabad denies responsibility and is calling for a neutral probe.
The US State Department has said it was in touch with the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors at multiple levels and Secretary of State Marco Rubio held calls on Wednesday with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Hindu nationalist Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to punish those responsible and Jaishankar has told Rubio that the perpetrators should be brought to justice. Pakistan says military action by India was imminent.
Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed in full by both Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan, with each controlling only part of it and having fought wars over it.
After the attack, India suspended a treaty regulating water-sharing, and both countries closed airspace to each other’s airlines. They also exchanged fire across their border.
US vice president hopes Kashmir attack won’t spark wider conflict
https://arab.news/cqdms
US vice president hopes Kashmir attack won’t spark wider conflict
- JD Vance says Pakistan should deal with militants that ‘sometimes operate’ in its territory
- US has expressed support for India after the April 22 attack without directly blaming Pakistan
Pakistan PM gives 48 hours to draft fuel-saving plan as global oil prices surge
- Government warns against hoarding after sharp fuel price hike amid Middle East tensions
- PM wants provinces to enforce anti-profiteering measures and prevent public exploitation
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has asked his administration to formulate a strategy for fuel conservation and austerity in government affairs within 48 hours after a sharp rise in global oil prices pushed the country to increase domestic fuel rates, a senior minister said on Saturday.
The directive comes a day after the government raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs55 ($0.20) per liter, citing a surge in international energy prices triggered by escalating conflict in the Middle East after Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran. The situation has rattled global oil markets and threatened key shipping routes.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar said Sharif had instructed officials to urgently prepare a practical plan aimed at reducing fuel consumption and promoting austerity across government institutions.
“The prime minister has given 48 hours to formulate an actionable strategy on savings, austerity and simplicity in government affairs,” he said in a social media post on X.
Tarar said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik had also been tasked with consulting the country’s four provincial chief ministers to coordinate measures against fuel hoarding and ensure strict enforcement of government directives.
He informed the ministers had been asked to ensure that speculation and profiteering in fuel markets were prevented, adding that authorities would take strict action against violators.
“The prime minister has directed that no leniency be shown to elements involved in exploiting the public,” he said, warning that licenses of those petrol pumps violating government orders could be revoked.
Tarar also urged the public not to pay attention to rumors regarding petroleum supplies or pricing, saying the government and relevant ministries would continue to release verified information as the situation evolves.
He said Pakistan was not alone in facing rising energy costs, noting that many countries were grappling with similar pressures due to volatility in global oil markets.
Pakistan relies heavily on imported fuel to meet its energy needs and is particularly vulnerable to global price shocks, which can quickly push up inflation and strain the country’s fragile external accounts.
