Amid rising hostilities between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held separate telephonic conversations late Wednesday with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging both sides to step back from further confrontation.

Rubio expressed condolences over the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians—mostly tourists—and injured dozens. In his call with Jaishankar, he reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation with India and encouraged diplomatic engagement with Pakistan to preserve regional peace and stability.

“The Secretary expressed his sorrow for the lives lost in the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to cooperation with India against terrorism. He also encouraged India to work with Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and maintain peace and security in South Asia,” said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

During his conversation with Prime Minister Sharif, Rubio urged Islamabad to reopen dialogue channels with New Delhi.

However, a statement from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s PM office accused India of “escalatory and provocative behavior,” warning that such actions could derail Pakistan’s domestic counter-terrorism operations. “India's provocations would only serve to distract Pakistan from its ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism, particularly from militant groups,” the statement read.

The situation remains volatile, with regional and international stakeholders urging both nuclear-armed neighbors to avoid escalation and prioritize dialogue.