India, May 1 -- The US has called on India and Pakistan to work together to de-escalate tensions against the backdrop of New Delhi's anticipated response to the terrorist strike in Pahalgam, with secretary of state Marco Rubio urging Pakistani officials to cooperate in investigating the "unconscionable attack".

Rubio spoke to external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif late last night to discuss the fallout of the April 22 terror attack that killed 26 people in a scenic meadow in Jammu and Kashmir. Jaishankar told Rubio that the perpetrators, backers and planners of the terror attack "must be brought to justice", according to a social media post by the minister on Thursday.

Rubio expressed sorrow at...