India and Pakistan have been urged by America’s top diplomat to work together to “de-escalate” rising tensions over Kashmir.
It comes just days after 26 men, mostly tourists, were shot dead by gunmen in the India-controlled part of the disputed region, which the nuclear-armed neighbours both claim as their own.
New Delhi has blamed Pakistan for the suspected militant attack near the resort town of Pahalgam on 22 April.
India claims it has identified the three attackers involved, including two Pakistan nationals. It says they are “terrorists” who are waging a violent revolt on the Muslim-majority in Kashmir.
Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has spoken separately to Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The US state department said Mr Rubio expressed support to India in combating extremism and also urged Pakistan to cooperate in investigating the attack.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which is part of the ruling coalition, told Sky News’ The World with Yalda Hakim: “As far as India’s accusations are concerned, it would be helpful if India was to provide specific, concrete evidence with Pakistan and with the international community.”
Mr Bhutto Zardari, a former foreign minister, warned the current situation could “turn into anything from a limited skirmish and attack between our air forces or any other wings of our armed forces, or it could turn into a full-scale war”.
Early on Wednesday, Pakistan said it had “credible intelligence” that India intends to carry out military action against it in the “next 24-36 hours on the pretext of baseless and concocted allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident”.
Also on Wednesday, the Indian government said it closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines – days after Pakistan banned Indian airlines from flying over its territory.
Kashmir attack: What happened?
Indian and Pakistani troops have exchanged small-arms fire over the past six nights, which New Delhi says was initiated by the Pakistani side across their 460-mile de facto border running through Kashmir. No casualties were reported, and the Pakistan military has not responded to the claims.
Pakistan ‘well capable of responding to any Indian aggression’
Mr Bhutto Zardari, whose mother, former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007, said his country was “bracing for any such action where Pakistan is at the ready to respond”.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
He told Yalda Hakim: “I don’t want to go into theoreticals other than to say from our air force to our armed forces to our navy, Pakistan is well capable of responding to any and all forms of Indian aggression.”
He also said that “our two countries have gone to war before. It is our hope that this does not happen, that better sense prevails, that the international community is engaging with both sides, but forcefully engages with both sides to ensure that there’s no escalation”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Of the Rubio talks, Mr Sharif’s office said in a statement he told the US secretary of state he “categorically rejected Indian attempts to link Pakistan to the incident”.
The PM called for a transparent, credible and neutral investigation and urged the US to press India to “dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly”.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Since the attack, the neighbours have announced a number of measures against each other, including India suspending the Indus Water Treaty.
It is an agreement for the distribution and use of waters from the Indus River and its tributaries, which feed 80% of Pakistan’s irrigated agriculture and its hydropower.
Until the attack, the treaty had been in operation despite two wars and other times of hostility between the nations.
