'Will say nothing more': US official to Pak journalist over Pahalgam attack

On Friday (IST), US State Department’s Spokesperson Tammy Bruce slammed a Pakistani journalist for questioning her over escalating tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

 

Responding to a question from a Pakistani journalist from ARY News, Bruce said, “I am not going to be remarking on it. I appreciate this, and perhaps we will come back to you with another subject. I will say nothing more on that situation. The President and the Secretary have said things, as have the Deputy Secretary; they have made their positions clear. I will not continue with something of that manner.”

 

Expressing condolences for those who lost their lives, Bruce said that the US prays for those who lost their lives in one of the deadly attacks since the 2019 Pulwama attacks. Condemning the attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran valley, Bruce reiterated President Donald Trump’s and Secretary Marco Rubio’s stance. She stated clearly that the United States stands with India and has strongly condemned all acts of terrorism.

 

On April 23, a day after the deadly attack in Pahalgam, Donald Trump condemned the terrorist attack and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi to express his condolences for the victims of the attack. Thanking Trump for his support, PM Modi asserted that India is determined to bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

Several other world leaders have also condemned the attack and dialled up PM Modi, extending their support to India in its fight against terrorism.

 

 

Modi’s response to terror attack 

On April 24, PM Modi addressed a public meeting in Bihar’s Madhubani and asserted that India will pursue the terrorists to the end of the Earth. He also added, “Today, on the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world – India will identify, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism.”

 

India’s response to the Pahalgam attacks 

Following the attack on civilians in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley, India downgraded its diplomatic ties with Pakistan, after The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack. India also suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan and shut the Attari border for all movement.

 

NYT under fire for Pahalgam terror coverage 

Earlier today, The New York Times was criticised by the United States House Foreign Affairs Committee for its coverage of the Pahalgam attacks. The New York Times has been called out for its “mischaracterising of the nature of the attack”.

 

Downplaying the nature of the attack, The New York Times used ‘militants’ in its headline for the terrorist attack, the responsibility of which was claimed by a proxy group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

 

(With inputs from agencies)