'Not going to be remarking on it': US spokesperson shuts down Pakistani reporter's question on J&K after Pahalgam attack

Bruce said this when Jahanzaib Ali from ARY News raised the question of US President Donald Trump's offer to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan and touched upon the border tension.

Bruce cut him in the middle and said in clear words, "I am not going to be remarking on it. I appreciate this, and perhaps we will come back to you with another subject. I will say nothing more on that situation.

"The President and the Secretary have said things, as have the Deputy Secretary; they have made their positions clear. I will not continue with something of that manner."

On the Pahalgam terror attack which killed 26 tourists with most of them Hindus, she said, "As President Trump and Secretary Rubio have made clear, the US stands with India, strongly condemns all acts of terrorism.

"We pray for the lives of those lost and pray for the recovery of the injured and call for the perpetrators of this heinous act to be brought to justice."."

US President Donald Trump earlier called Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemning the attack and offered full support to bring the perpetrators to justice.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X, "President Donald Trump @realDonaldTrump @POTUS called PM @narendramodi and conveyed his deepest condolences at the loss of innocent lives in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

"President Trump strongly condemned the terror attack and expressed full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack. India and the United States stand together in the fight against terror."

The terror attack, which has drawn widespread condemnation from the world leaders, has led India and its arch-rival Pakistan to a fresh confrontation, a major one since the Pulwama terror attack which was backed by Pakistan-based militant group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in 2019.

After several diplomatic strikes on Pakistan, Modi on Thursday promised a retaliation and said the terrorists and their backers will pay unimaginable costs for the attack on innocent tourists.

Addressing a rally in Bihar's Madhubani, the Prime Minister significantly switched to English and said: "From the soil of Bihar I tell the whole world that India will identify them and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the end of the earth. India's spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished."