They were killed during a counter-operation by Indian forces that lasted for about three days in which seven security personnel were killed.
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The official said that the meeting also made a decision to speed up implementation of National Action Plan.
“The government’s policy towards Pakistan is clear and consistent. The Pakistani prime minister promised us prompt and decisive action”, he said. “At the same time, prompt means prompt and we will go by the common sense interpretation of that word”.
Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor, thewire.in, said the initial response from Pakistan side seems to be positive but India should not forget the history of 26/11 Mumbai attacks. He also directed Janjua to keep communication channels open with his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, and ensure that the Pathankot attack does not derail the renewed dialogue between the two countries.
This comes a day after 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.
According to earlier reports, India wanted the NSAs of the two countries to meet before Foreign Secretary-level talks are held. The FS-level talks to finalise modalities and schedule meetings for various segments under the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue over the next six months are proposed to be held in Islamabad on January 15-16.
In its first reaction to the attack, China, which has “all-weather” ties with Pakistan, had condemned the terror attack and stated that this may be an attempt to disrupt the positive momentum in Indo-Pak ties following PM Modi’s visit to Lahore.
But the attack has come as a blow to the peace initiative.
India has passed to Pakistan the telephone numbers that the gunmen are believed to have used to contact their “handlers” and asked the authorities in Islamabad to arrest them.
He added the meeting agreed that strong action would be taken after probe against anyone found guilty of involvement in the attack.
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Some Indian security officials have suggested the Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed was to blame. “We can’t say, in my view, that the Army (or) ISI somehow ordered the Pathankot attack to torpedo the Modi-Nawaz rapprochement”.
