Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke to his Pakistani counterpart on Sunday and offered Russia’s help in resolving tensions between Pakistan and India over Kashmir, the Foreign Ministry said.

“Particular attention was paid to the significant rise in tension between New Delhi and Islamabad,” the ministry said in a statement, referring to Lavrov’s conversation with Ishaq Dar, who is also Pakistan’s deputy prime minister.

“It was stressed that Russia is ready to act for a political settlement of the situation resulting from the act of terrorism of April 22 in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley, in the event of a mutual desire on the part of Islamabad and New Delhi,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram.

Lavrov’s conversation with Dar took place two days after he spoke with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and also called for a settlement of differences between the two neighboring countries.

Suspected militants killed at least 26 people in last week’s attack on a mountain tourist destination in the Pahalgam area of the Kashmir valley.

Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed by both countries and has been the focus of several wars, an insurgency and diplomatic standoffs.

Russia has been India’s largest weapons provider for decades and New Delhi and Moscow have had close ties since Soviet times. 
 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan wants peace in the region, but it will give a “befitting reply” if a war was imposed by India, security sources said on Sunday, citing a Pakistani military spokesman.
The statement came amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town that killed 26 tourists on April 22. New Delhi has blamed the assault on Pakistan, Islamabad denies involvement and calls for a credible international probe into it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth” and there have been fears that India may carry out limited airstrikes or special forces raids near the border with Pakistan. A Pakistani minister said this week Islamabad had “credible intelligence” India was planning to attack Pakistan.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and military spokesman Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry held a closed-door meeting with Pakistani political leaders on Monday, wherein the participants pondered over national security affairs in view of the “Pahalgam false flag operation,” according to security sources.
“Pakistan is a peaceful country and wants peace in the region,” the sources quoted Lt. Gen. Chaudhry as telling the participants. “But if aggression is imposed on Pakistan, then the Pakistani forces are ready to give a befitting reply to the enemy.”
During the meeting, Information Minister Tarar informed the participants about the government’s diplomatic measures after India’s accusations, while Lt. Gen. Chaudhry gave a briefing about the Pakistan’s preparations to thwart any possible Indian military action.
Top Pakistani leaders have reached out to foreign capitals and senior officials in China, United States, Russia, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Iran and other countries, amid fears that India’s possible action over the April 22 attack may lead to a wider conflict in the region.
On Monday, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, spoke with Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and apprised him of the recent regional developments.
“He [Dar] rejected India’s baseless allegations and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan, and condemned India’s unilateral & illegal move to hold the IWT [Indus Waters Treaty] in abeyance which is a violation of its international obligations,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.
“DPM/FM emphasized that Pakistan would resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and national interests.”
India suspended the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty a day after the Pahalgam attack, saying the suspension would last until “Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.” Pakistan has described the suspension of treat as an “act of war.”
There have been reports of skirmishes between Pakistani and Indian troops along their de facto border in Kashmir since the April 22 attack. The disputed region is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. The two countries have fought two wars and one limited conflict over the Himalayan territory.
“FM Lavrov expressed concern over the situation and stressed the importance of diplomacy to resolve issues. He emphasized that both sides should exercise restraint and avoid escalation,” the Pakistani foreign ministry added.