WASHINGTON: Authoritative sources revealed on Wednesday [August 2] that the United States has urged Bharat and Pakistan to halt their border dispute over the state of Kashmir “in the interests of general peace in Asia”. The sources said that the American Government in a Note sent to both the parties urged mutual withdrawal of troops to lessen tension which has been increasing in recent days. So far only Pakistan has replied to the American Note. The Karachi Government indicated its willingness to accept the American suggestion. The US Note … expressed … “deep concern” over the growing tension between Bharat and Pakistan.
It noted that American military observers had reported that BOTH Bharati and Pakistani troops were guilty of violating the cease-fire line established in Kashmir in January, 1949. The American Note ... said there were two overwhelming reasons for the withdrawal of ... troops from border areas.
Firstly, such withdrawal would “lessen the tension”, which has been building up in recent days; and secondly, it would eliminate the possibility of some local incidents “touching off a war which neither side wants”.
Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2026