Pathankot base assault: India warns of calling off talks

New Delhi asks Islamabad to act on evidence shared; Pakistan seeks more proof

NEW DELHI/ ISLAMABAD:

As India warned of calling off the upcoming foreign secretary talks in the wake of the Pathankot air base attack, Pakistan decided on Thursday to move “cautiously” with the evidence already shared by the neighbouring country about the attackers.

In what was the first sign of possible derailment of the recently resumed peace process between the two hyphenated neighbours since the brazen assault, the Indian foreign ministry asked Islamabad to walk its talk of taking prompt action against the perpetrators.



Without giving any deadline, Vikas Swarup, the External Affairs Ministry spokesman, said talks would be held only if Pakistan made good on its promise to “promptly and decisively” act on the evidence provided to Islamabad on the Pathankot attacker.

Talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to begin on January 15.

Swarup added the ball was in Pakistan’s court now as there would be no forward movement by India until Pakistan responded to Indian concerns.

“There is a lot of time between January 7 and January 15,” he said at an official briefing in New Delhi. “We will wait to see what happens in this time. Cross-border terrorism should stop.”

Swarup claimed the Pathankot attack had once again put renewed focus on the challenge of cross-border terrorism, suggesting the issue will be one of the most important issues put forward by India in the talks – if they take place.



In Islamabad meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sat together with top officials and aides, including National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua and Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz, to mull strategies on how to allay India’s concerns without a domestic boomerang.

According to the PM House, the premier chaired a high-level meeting to discuss Issues related to national and regional security.

Sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that PM Nawaz directed the foreign office and all authorities concerned to move “cautiously” on evidence of Pathankot attack shared by India and seek further details from New Delhi if necessary. NSA Janjua has already talked twice with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.

Janjua along with Intelligence Bureau DG Aftab Sultan and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar briefed the premier about the latest developments and progress of investigations on the leads given by India.

Pathankot assault: Kashmir-based group claims air base attack

The sources said the PM was told the agencies needed further evidence from the Indian side for further investigation. The participants also discussed the option of arranging a meeting of NSAs. Both countries have agreed to the proposal but the timing has yet to be decided.

While Islamabad is willing to have the meeting right after the January 15 huddle of foreign secretaries, India wants the meeting before that as it (India) is facing immense pressure from its media and civil society.

India has officially handed over to Pakistan some evidence, including the alleged recording of telephonic conversations between attackers in Pathankot and their handlers in Bahawalpur and the route the terrorists took from the Pakistani border to the airbase.

PM Sharif has promised his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi of decisive action on the given proof. At the meeting also, the premier directed all the relevant authorities to make sure the upcoming peace talks were not derailed.



The sources said the PM was also briefed about the latest situation of banned outfits particularly Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Jamaatud Dawa. The Interior minister talked about the sectarian situation in the country in the wake of the Saudi-Iran conflict over executions. The pros and corns of Pakistan’s decision amid the current tussle between Tehran and Riyadh were also discussed.

While Pakistan has shown its interest in joining the 34-nation, Saudi-led alliance against Dai’sh, it has not yet discussed and devised any mechanism of joining the military alliance.

The premier directed the law enforcement agencies to expedite work against the activities of banned religious outfits and to keep a check on them.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2016.