NEW DELHI, India: The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, on Friday described India-Pakistan tensions as alarming, joining several influential global voices asking the two sides to sort out their problems through dialogue.
The armed forces of Pakistan and India are in a state of heightened alert following a terror attack that killed 26 people in the Pahalgam area of Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22.
India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the incident, an allegation Pakistan strongly rejects.
“Rising tensions between India and Pakistan are alarming. I urge both sides to show restraint and pursue dialogue to ease the situation,” the EU foreign policy chief said in a post on X on Friday.
“Escalation helps no one.”
Kallas spoke to Indian External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, “to convey these messages”.
Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in a statement on Friday expressed its “deep concern over the deteriorating security situation in the South Asian region” and called for restraint and the “urgent resumption of dialogue” between Pakistan and India.
A number of key players – including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United States, Russia and the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres – have asked the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours to exercise restraint and avoid a conflict. – BERNAMA
