‘Hope it ends quickly,’ Trump on India-Pakistan escalation

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said the Indian strikes on Pakistan were expected and that it’s his “hope it ends very quickly.” The Indian embassy in Washington DC also said in a statement that India’s National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, briefed Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who holds additional charge as the National Security Adviser, about the strikes. “It’s a shame,” President Trump said at an unrelated White House interaction with news reporters.

“We just heard about it as we were walking through the doors of the Oval ... They’ve been fighting for a long time. ... I just hope it ends very quickly.”

The Indian embassy said, “Shortly after the strikes, NSA Ajit Doval spoke with US NSA and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and briefed him on the actions taken.”

It added: “India’s actions have been focused and precise. They were measured, responsible and designed to be non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani civilian, economic or military targets have been hit. Only known terror camps were targeted.”

The Embassy said India has “credible leads, technical inputs, testimony of the survivors and other evidence pointing towards the clear involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in this attack” and that Pakistan was expected to take action against the perpetrators.  “Instead, during the fortnight that has gone by. Pakistan has indulged in denial and allegations of false flag operations against India.”

President Trump’s remarks were the first by an American official after the strikes. Earlier, Tammy Bruce, the state department spokesperson, told reporters that the situation between India and Pakistan was “a dynamic, serious issue”. (IANS)

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