UK Foreign Secretary holds talks with Jaishankar, Pak Deputy PM following Pahalgam attack

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed his British counterpart, David Lammy, about India’s firm stance of "zero tolerance" towards terrorism while discussing the cross-border connections related to the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam.

With India-Pakistan relations under immense strain following the deadly attack on Tuesday that claimed 26 civilian lives, Lammy also held discussions with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar.

The Pakistani Foreign Office reported that Lammy emphasised the need for de-escalation in the region.
India, citing "cross-border links" to the Pahalgam attack, has vowed to take strong action against those responsible for the assault, which has sparked widespread outrage both domestically and internationally.

Following his conversation with Lammy, Jaishankar tweeted: "Spoke to Foreign Secretary @DavidLammy of the UK today. Discussed the cross-border terrorist attack at Pahalgam. Underlined the importance of zero tolerance for terrorism."

According to the Pakistani Foreign Office, Dar also spoke to Lammy, reaffirming Pakistan's unwavering commitment to defending its national interests while continuing efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.

Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, conveyed his concerns to Lammy regarding India’s "unilateral" actions, including the "illegal decision" to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of India's international obligations.

The Pakistan Foreign Office also mentioned that Lammy "emphasised the importance of de-escalating the situation through dialogue and peaceful resolution of issues."

In response to the Pahalgam attack, India announced a series of punitive actions against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the closure of the sole operational land border crossing at Attari, and the downgrading of diplomatic relations.

Pakistan retaliated by closing its airspace to Indian airlines and halting all trade with India, even via third countries. Additionally, Pakistan rejected India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that any attempt to stop the flow of water would be considered an "act of war."

The conversation between Jaishankar and Lammy took place three days after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to condemn the "barbaric" attack in Pahalgam.

Several world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, also reached out to PM Modi in recent days to express their condemnation of the terror attack.

Other leaders, such as Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, UAE President Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Dutch PM Dick Schoof, US Vice President J. D. Vance, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, and Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli, also contacted Modi.

In his ‘Mann ki Baat’ address on Sunday, Prime Minister Modi vowed that the "perpetrators and conspirators" of the Pahalgam attack would face "the harshest response."

"The whole world stands with 140 crore Indians in our fight against terrorism. I once again assure the affected families that they will get justice, and justice will be done," Modi added. "The perpetrators and conspirators of this attack will be served with the harshest response."
(With PTI Inputs)