US responds to Pakistan Foreign Min Bilawal's remark against PM Modi; 'Don't want to...'

Amid the ongoing war of words between India and Pakistan, the United States has urged the two countries to have a constructive dialogue and solve the issue. The statements of the US official came in view of the ongoing controversy that erupted after Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari's made a highly objectionable and derogatory remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Addressing a press briefing, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said, "The fact that we have partnerships with both countries leaves us not wanting to see a war of words between India and Pakistan. We would like to see constructive dialogue between India and Pakistan. There is much work that we can do together bilaterally."

"We have a global strategic partnership with India. I have just spoken to the depth of our partnership with Pakistan. These relationships stand on their own; it is not zero-sum. We see the importance – the indispensability really – of maintaining valuable partnerships with both our Indian and our Pakistani friends," Price was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. 

"So even as we deepen our global strategic partnership with India, we also have a relationship in which we can be candid and frank with one another. Where we have disagreements or concerns, we voice those just as we would with our Pakistani friends as well," he added. 

Bhutto's comments are a new low: MEA 

Following the outrage over Bilawal Bhutto's remarks, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi termed the Pakistani minister's comments a new low. He further asked Bhutto to direct his frustration toward the masterminds of terrorist enterprises of his own country. 

Reacting to Bhutto's remarks, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "These comments are a new low, even for Pakistan. Pakistan Foreign Minister’s frustration would be better directed towards the masterminds of terrorist enterprises in his own country, who have made terrorism a part of their state policy. Pakistan needs to change its own mindset or remain a pariah."

Bilawal Bhutto's derogatory attack on PM Modi

Responding to External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar’s sharp swipe at Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Pakistan's Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto made a highly objectionable and derogatory remark against PM Modi. "I want to tell India that Osama bin Laden is dead, but the butcher of Gujarat lives and he is the Prime Minister of India," Bhutto said. 

Bhutto's remark came after Jaishankar reminded the world how Pakistan had hosted 9/11 mastermind Osama Bin Laden and is sponsoring terror activities in India including the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.