The United States on Monday expressed concern over rising tensions between Pakistan and India, along with the exchange of fire along the working boundary, which has claimed the lives of four Pakistani civilians.
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said that Washington encourages Islamabad and New Delhi to engage in a dialogue. “We certainly remain concerned and watch over tensions along the border. We encourage dialogue between the (two) countries,” Psaki said, when the issue of skirmishes on the Pak-India border came up.
When her attention was drawn to reports about the death of four Pakistanis because of Indian firing in the Sialkot sector, the spokesperson said that she did not have any confirmation of the news, but added that the U.S. would obviously sympathize with the families of those that had lost their lives. “Our hearts will go out to the families,” she said.
In response to another question, the spokesperson noted that Washington has always supported dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi. There have been some good steps in the past and positive exchanges over the years but “obviously more work needs to be done,” she added.
Commenting on US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, she said the two sides work on a range of issues together, including counterterrorism and security issues.