Pakistan intensifies diplomatic efforts amid tensions with India

​​​​​​​By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistani leaders doubled diplomatic efforts Thursday amid tensions with India following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

Sharif reiterated his offer for a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation into the Pahalgam attack.

Al Thani praised Pakistan's efforts for peace in South Asia and said Doha wanted to work with Islamabad to ensure a de-escalation of the crisis.

Sharif also met with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong in Islamabad, where the two discussed the situation in the region.

Sharif “expressed Pakistan’s sincere thanks to China for its strong and steadfast support to Pakistan, in the prevailing situation in South Asia," said the prime minister’s office.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar separately spoke Thursday with his counterparts from South Korea, Slovenia and Somalia and apprised them about the regional situation, according to the Pakistan Foreign Ministry.

Dar spoke Wednesday with the foreign ministers of Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Hungary, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged a de-escalation between two nuclear-armed rivals but Pakistan’s top diplomat in Washington, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said he wanted President Donald Trump to help ease tensions with India.

Indian top diplomat Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, meanwhile, spoke to his counterparts from South Korea, the US, Denmark, Kuwait, UAE, Algeria, Slovenia, Somalia and other nations in the last two days.

The Pahalgam attack further strained the already tense relations between Pakistan and India in the Kashmir region.​​​​​​​