Roy Chaudhury, who praised the Modi government for changing the dynamics of the India-Pakistan relationship over the past year, added that New Delhi would have to normalise ties with Islamabad through peaceful negotiations and be prepared for more such attacks. “If this is true, the United States must immediately re-evaluate aid to Pakistan which I have long called for”. “We can’t say, in my view, that the Army (or) ISI somehow ordered the Pathankot attack to torpedo the Modi-Nawaz rapprochement. We have prolonged a hand of friendship to Pakistan, however we won’t countenance cross-border terrorist assaults”, Swarup stated. Pakistan forces reportedly conducted some initial raids on Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist outfit led by Maulana Masood Azhar, which is allegedly held responsible for the Pathankot attack.
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“Terror and talks can not go together”, reiterated the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in its first official briefing on the issue.
Earlier in the day, India said it will not go ahead with foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan next unless the neighbouring country takes action on the evidence provided by India of the Pathankot terror attack.
The MEA spokesperson said the terrorist attack on the Pathankot air base has once again put renewed focus on the challenge posed by cross-border terrorism. “We were working towards that when the national security advisers of the two countries met in Bangkok”.
The meeting came as India said it is waiting for “prompt and decisive action” as promised by Sharif to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a telephone call on Tuesday.
“Right now for us, the immediate priority is there was a conversation between our Prime Minister and his Pakistani counterpart”.
“Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan”, read an official statement.
“We are waiting for Pakistan to take action on the actionable intelligence provided to them and the assurances given to us on prompt and decisive action”.
“The word from India is that they are seeking Pakistan’s cooperation in identifying the terrorists and tracing their network”.
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The proposed talks between the Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan in Islamabad January 14 and 15 may be delayed by New Delhi in the wake of the Pathankot terror attack that claimed lives of seven military personnel and left 20 others injured.
