US, India Urge Pakistan to Take Action Against Terrorists - State Dept

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States and India during a counterterrorism working group this week urged Pakistan to take verifiable action against terrorists in its country, the Department of State said in a press release on Friday.

"Both sides underlined the urgent need for Pakistan to take meaningful, irreversible, and verifiable action against terrorists and terrorist groups", the release said.

The US and Indian delegations also discussed strengthening cooperation on information sharing and other actions they can take to disrupt the ability of terrorists to travel.

READ MORE: Facebook Wrongly Refers to Kashmir as Separate Country, Apologises for 'Mistake'

Media reported this week that the United States circulated a UN Security Council resolution to blacklist Masood Azhar, head of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), after China blocked a similar measure a couple weeks ago.

Indian officials pushed for the ban after JeM killed 40 Indian troops in a terror attack in the disputed region of Kashmir in February, which triggered an air war between the two countries. Indian aircraft in response struck a JeM camp on Pakistani soil across the so-called Line of Control, prompting the Pakistani military to shoot down two Indian warplanes.

While India has accused Pakistan of supporting the terrorists and having a "direct hand" in the incident, Pakistan, in turn, has rejected the allegations.

READ MORE: Police Officer Shot Dead by Militants in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir is a region that has been disputed by India and Pakistan since 1947 when both countries gained independence from the British Empire. The two countries have gone through three wars over the region, but the conflict has not been resolved. The unstable situation in the region has reportedly led to the emergence of extremist groups.