Russia’s foreign minister has told Pakistan that Moscow is willing to mediate Indo-Pakistani tensions if both sides agree.
In a phone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov addressed the rising tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi, according to a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry on Sunday.
Lavrov conveyed Moscow’s readiness to assist in peaceful efforts to de-escalate the situation. “The Russian side emphasized its readiness to assist in the political resolution of the situation that arose after the April 22 terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area, if there is mutual interest from Islamabad and New Delhi,” the ministry stated, noting that the call was initiated at Pakistan’s request.
On Saturday, Lavrov advocated for “a settlement of disagreements between New Delhi and Islamabad by political and diplomatic means” bilaterally, in accordance with the 1972 Simla Agreement and the 1999 Lahore Declaration, which provide a historical framework for diplomatic dispute resolution between the two South Asian nations, as stated by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry reported that Dar refuted India’s “baseless allegations and inflammatory rhetoric against Pakistan” and denounced New Delhi’s “illegal move” to hold the water treaty in abeyance.”
Relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors have deteriorated sharply following a terrorist attack in southern Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. The attack occurred in the Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam, in the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir on April 22.
Following the attack, India implemented several measures against Pakistan, including expelling diplomats, canceling visas for Pakistani citizens, and closing the land border. India also suspended parts of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty. On Saturday, New Delhi announced further measures to downgrade already strained trade relations with Pakistan.
Pakistan has responded with its own countermeasures and has cautioned of further escalation. Last week, Islamabad asserted it possesses “credible intelligence” indicating India intends to launch military action against it and affirmed its readiness to respond. There have been reports of gunfire exchanged between the two countries for ten consecutive nights along the Line of Control in Kashmir.
India has accused Pakistan of backing the militant group allegedly responsible for the Kashmir attack, reiterating its claim that Islamabad supports cross-border terrorism and uses it as a tool.
Islamabad has denied these accusations. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that his country was a victim of terrorism resulting from Western government policies, particularly those of the US, starting with the Soviet-Afghanistan war in the late 1980s. He acknowledged Pakistan’s past involvement in “dirty work” by “training and indoctrinating jihadists on behalf of the West,” but described it as a mistake, stating that Pakistan is now suffering the consequences of its previous policies.
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