WASHINGTON: White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest during a briefing on Friday said that the United States has "long urged India and Pakistan to find ways to resolve their differences not through violence but through diplomacy."

Pakistan and India have "made some important progress in that pursuit, and we're hopeful that they’ll be able to continue to make the kind of progress that will bring greater stability to what is a rather volatile region of the world," Earnest said.

The White House statement comes as Pakistan and India are engaged in a heated war of words at the United Nations General Assembly over Kashmir, days after India accused Pakistan of involvement in a militant attack at an army base in Uri, India-held Kashmir.

Although Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his UNGA address maintained that Pakistan wants peace with India but it is "not possible without resolving the Kashmir issue". The premier urged the UN to demilitarise Jammu and Kashmir and called for steps to implement UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir.

Indian premier Narendra Modi, in his first speech since the Uri attack, said India would "work" to isolate Pakistan.

The Indian PM accused Pakistan of instigating terror attacks in Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and of trying to destabilise India by exporting terrorism. In the same breath, Modi challenged Pakistan to "fight a war on poverty and unemployment and see who wins first, India or Pakistan."

Opinion

From hard to harder

From hard to harder

Instead of ‘hard state’ turning even harder, citizens deserve a state that goes soft on them in delivering democratic and development aspirations.

Editorial

Canal unrest
Updated 03 Apr, 2025

Canal unrest

With rising water scarcity in Indus system, it is crucial to move towards a consensus-driven policymaking process.
Iran-US tension
03 Apr, 2025

Iran-US tension

THE Trump administration’s threats aimed at Iran do not bode well for global peace, and unless Washington changes...
Flights to history
03 Apr, 2025

Flights to history

MOHENJODARO could have been the forgotten gold we desperately need. Instead, this 5,000-year-old well of antiquity ...
Eid amidst crises
Updated 31 Mar, 2025

Eid amidst crises

Until the Muslim world takes practical steps to end these atrocities, these besieged populations will see no joy.
Women’s rights
Updated 01 Apr, 2025

Women’s rights

Such judgements, and others directly impacting women’s rights should be given more airtime in media.
Not helping
Updated 02 Apr, 2025

Not helping

If it's committed to peace in Balochistan, the state must draw a line between militancy and legitimate protest.