India to help Pakistan probe Pathankot terror attack talks put off
Date
1/14/2016 8:26:07 AM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Maulana Masood Azhar
Pakistan also did not confirm the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar as reported by media.
Foreign Office spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said the FS-level talks on Friday for which Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar was to travel will not take place as planned.
He told a news briefing that both sides were holding consultations to reschedule the talks.
To questions on the detention of Azhar he said “I am not aware of any such arrest. I don’t have anything else apart from the statement issued by the PMO yesterday.”
After a high-level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the PMO had issued a statement on Wednesday which said that “several individuals” belonging to JeM have been apprehended in connection with the Pathankot terror attack and some of its offices traced and sealed.
Last night External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup had said India had not received any confirmation on media reports of the detention of Azhar who is believed to be the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack.
After the terror attack on January 2 there have been doubts whether the FS-level talks could take place as planned with India linking “prompt and decisive” action by Pakistan to the taks.
On Thursday Pakistan detained “several individuals” of the JeM apart from sealing some of their offices in an apparent attempt to get the talks going.
India on Thursday deferred a decision on the talks because of lack of confirmation on Azhar’s arrest.
There is speculation that the NSAs of the two countries may meet before the FS-level talks.
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