Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sharif have been struggling to keep their renewed dialogue, announced last month, on track in the wake of the attack.
Advertisement
He was responding to questions on the telephonic conversation between Kerry and Sharif.
Sources in Pakistan said authorities there believed the evidence given by India on the terrorists who attacked the IAF airbase last week will not stand in a court of law.
Police sources in Chandigarh stated that tight safety preparations have been being made for the Prime Minister’s visit.
Seven security personnel were killed in the attack by six terrorists who crossed over from Pakistan.
Kerry, speaking to Sharif by telephone, said he hoped the attack would not derail the talks that he said were in the interests of regional security, according to a statement from the Pakistani prime minister’s office late on Saturday.
“World will see our effectiveness and sincerity in this regard”, Sharif was quoted as telling the U.S. Secretary of State.
“The meeting discussed the Pathankot attack incident and expressed Pakistan’s condemnation of this incident and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to cooperate with India to completely eradicate the menace of terrorism afflicting our region”, a statement issued by the Pakistan PMO said.
“We had extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan but we will not countenance cross-border terrorist attacks”, said Swarup.
Days after the United Jihad Council claimed responsibility for the three-day terrorist attack on Pathankot air force base that began on 1 January, details emerged about the identity of the gunmen’s handlers: Jaish-e-Mohammad founder Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Abdul Rauf Asghar, Ashfaq Ahmed and Kashim Jaan.
They were in constant touch with the terrorists and coordinating their assault on the airbase from a control room set up at the outfit’s headquarters in Bahawalpur in Pakistan.
Advertisement
“We are investigating the Pathankot incident while the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan are intact”, he said at a function in Lahore.
