New Delhi, Islamabad have had contact at national security level, says Pakistan's US ambassador

New Delhi, Islamabad have had contacts at NSC level, says Pakistan's US envoy

Pakistan's ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said on Thursday that New Delhi and Islamabad have had contacts at the level of their respective National Security Councils.

When asked whether the nuclear-armed Asian neighbors were engaged in any current dialogue, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh responded during a CNN interview, stating that the responsibility for reducing tensions between the two countries rests with India following two days of conflict.

"I think there have been contact at the level of NSCs, but then this escalation, both in terms of the actions that have been taken and in terms of rhetoric that is coming out, has to stop," he said the during the interview without mentioning key details about contact.

"Now the responsibility for de-escalation is on India, but there are constraints on restraint. Pakistan reserves the right to respond back. There is enough pressure from our public opinion on the government to respond," he further added.

Many global powers, including the US, have urged New Delhi and Islamabad to de-escalate tensions and keep lines of communication open. Washington has called for direct dialogue.

The escalation between India and Pakistan began following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people.

India launched Operatrion Sindoor, a major military operation early Wednesday, targeting nine suspected terror sites in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan’s Punjab province.

In a sharp escalation, Pakistan retaliated on Thursday by launching a wave of drone and missile attacks across India. Strikes were reported in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan, causing blackouts and raising regional security concerns.

India’s air defence systems were immediately activated, reportedly downing several Pakistani fighter jets and destroying an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The situation remains volatile, with both nations facing mounting international pressure to avoid further escalation and pursue diplomatic channels.

(With Reuters inputs)