Foreign secys to talk, not now

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 14

The foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan have been rescheduled to a date in “very near future”. Ending days of speculation, the Ministry of External Affairs today said the foreign secretaries spoke to each other and decided to reschedule the talks.

Official spokesperson of the External Affairs Ministry Vikas Swarup added that the national security advisers of the two countries were in “regular touch”.

India said it was ready to welcome the special team being sent by Pakistan to investigate the Pathankot attack. Whether it would be allowed access inside the Pathankot air base and other such modalities was still being sorted out. “The government welcomes the proposed visit of the Pakistani probe team. Indian investigative agencies will provide all possible help,” he said.

On the question of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) leader Masood Azhar’s arrest, the MEA said it still had no official confirmation on the issue. Even in Islamabad, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said he was “not aware of such arrests”. Late last evening, reports emerged from Pakistan that the JeM chief had been arrested or detained. But in the absence of any official confirmation from either side, this is still open to speculation.

However, India today welcomed the action taken by Pakistan against JeM as an “important first positive step” in the right direction.

Since the Pathankot attack, the foreign secretary-level talks have been under the scanner. India believes elements belonging to JeM are behind the attack. It has given evidence that links the attackers to their handlers across the border.