Finally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken a tough stand regarding Pathankot attack, warning Pakistan to give a proper explanation.
Talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan slated for January 15th, seemed to be on thin ice as New Delhi, yesterday, linked the event with “decisive and prompt” action by Islamabad, on the deadly terror attack, at the Pathankot airbase.
The foreign ministry stated the position, without setting a deadline for Pakistan, even as Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif discussed the terrorist strike at a high-level meeting in Islamabad. He was reportedly briefed about the status of a ban on the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which is suspected to be behind the attack.
Yesterday, PM Modi told his cabinet colleagues that bilateral talks would not resume, until Islamabad took action against the terror group and he had made this clear during a phone call with Sharif.
“Action is a must. We are going to be very strict about it,” Modi reportedly said at the meeting.
As of now, Indian security agencies have identified five key figures from JeM, who were involved in the conspiracy and Modi asked Sharif to act against them. The terrorists under the scanner are the group’s chief Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Rauf Asghar, Kasim Jan, Hafiz Abdul Shakur and Maulana Ashfaq Ahmad.
In the past, Pakistan remained in constant denial regarding 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, but now, it has not rejected India’s assertions about the role of the terror outfit in the Pathankot attack.
Speaking on the issue, the ministry of external affairs spokesperson, Vikas Swarup said, “India wants peaceful ties with all neighbors, including Pakistan, but will not countenance cross-border terrorism. Actionable intelligence was given to Pakistan. Ball is in Pakistan’s court now.”
He, however, parried questions about the possibility of the talks being cancelled, maintaining that, India was not fixing any deadline for Pakistan to respond, nor was it “foreshadowing” the talks.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who assured us a prompt response... India now awaits a prompt and decisive action. Eight days remain for the foreign secretary-level talks between the countries; let’s see what happens in the days before January 15,” Swarup said.
National security adviser, Naseer Khan Janjua, foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry and foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz, are in the meeting, held yesterday, chaired by Sharif.
As per the sources, Janjua, briefed them about his discussions with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval.
A brief statement issued after the meeting by Sharif’s office only said “issues pertaining to national and regional security were discussed” but did not give details.
Pakistan has condemned the Pathankot attack and said it wants to build on the goodwill created by a December 25th meeting between Modi and Sharif, when the former called up his Pakistani counterpart from Kabul, and took an impromptu decision to fly down to Lahore on the latter’s invitation.
By Phani Ch
