World leaders call on India, Pak to exercise restraint

World leaders, including UN chief Antonio Guterres and US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and hoped that the hostilities would end "very quickly".

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UN Secretary-General Guterres called for "maximum military restraint" from India and Pakistan, saying the world cannot afford a military confrontation between the two countries. "The Secretary-General is very concerned about the Indian military operations across the Line of Control and the international border. He calls for maximum military restraint from both countries. The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan," Secretary-General's spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said.

US President Trump said he hopes that the hostilities will end "very quickly".

"It's a shame, he said, adding, "We heard about it just as we were walking in the doors of the Oval (Office). I guess people knew something was going to happen based on a little bit of the past."

"They've been fighting for a long time. They've been fighting for many, many decades and centuries, actually, if you really think about it," Trump said.

Asked if he has any message for the countries, he said, "No, I just hope it ends very quickly."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was closely monitoring the situation between India and Pakistan. Russia also expressed deep concern at the escalation of military confrontation between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.

"We are deeply concerned about the intensifying military confrontation between India and Pakistan after the terrorist attack near the city of Pahalgam," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova was quoted as saying by state-run news agency TASS.

"We call on the parties involved to exercise restraint in order to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the region.