Trump Urges India-Pakistan Dialogue Amid Kashmir Tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump addressed escalating tensions between India and Pakistan following a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, describing the incident as “bad” but expressing confidence that the two nations would resolve their differences independently. Trump emphasized the long-standing nature of the conflict, stating, “I am very close to India and I’m very close to Pakistan, and they’ve had that fight for a thousand years in Kashmir.”
The attack, which occurred on April 22 in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley, claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, and was one of the deadliest in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing. India has attributed the assault to Pakistan-based terror groups, specifically The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, prompting a series of retaliatory measures. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani military attaches, and closing the Attari land-transit post. Pakistan, in response, suspended the 1972 Simla Accord and has denied any involvement in the attack.
Trump’s comments came as diplomatic relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors deteriorated further, with both sides engaging in tit-for-tat measures. Pakistani forces initiated “unprovoked” firing across the Line of Control for two consecutive nights, met with Indian retaliation, though no casualties were reported. The U.S. State Department, through spokesperson Tammy Bruce, declined to comment extensively on the situation, with Bruce noting only that the U.S. stands with India and condemns terrorism.
In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the perpetrators, promising to hunt them “to the ends of the earth.” Indian authorities have intensified security measures, arresting two terrorist associates in Kulgam district and demolishing the homes of two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives in Pulwama and Anantnag. Protests erupted across India, including outside Pakistan’s High Commission in Delhi, reflecting widespread public outrage.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif called for an international investigation into the attack, asserting his country’s innocence and offering cooperation with global inspectors. Pakistani officials have also sought U.S. mediation, but Trump reiterated that India and Pakistan would “figure it out between themselves one way or the other.
The United Nations, through Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, urged both nations to exercise “maximum restraint” to prevent further escalation. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely as tensions remain high in the region.