India to Announce Decision on talks with Pakistan today after NSA Ajit Doval briefs PM

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Jan 14, 2016:  India is expected to announce its decision today on Foreign Secretary talks with Pakistan.

 

The government deferred its decision last night after the detention of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar was reported in the Pakistani media but not officially confirmed, even to India.

Masood Azhar, accused by India of masterminding the January 2 terror attack on the Pathankot air base, and his close relatives, were taken into "protective custody" two days ago, said Pakistani media reports.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "We have not received official word on the detention of Masood Azhar."

Pakistan minister Mohammad Zubair told NDTV, "I cannot confirm that Masood Azhar has been detained... Jaish offices were raided and several men have been held."

The foreign ministry is likely to make an announcement after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who returns from Paris today, speaks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefs him on Pakistan, sources told NDTV.
 
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj met PM Modi on Wednesday evening along with Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, who is supposed to travel to Islamabad tomorrow for the talks.

India has said that unless Pakistan takes strong action against those responsible for the Pathankot attack, the Foreign Secretary-level talks could not go ahead at this time. However, sources insist they are not linking the talks to Azhar’s detention.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif set up a committee of his top intelligence, army and government officers to investigate India’s allegations after PM Modi spoke to him last week, asking for prompt and decisive action on the basis of specific evidence.
 
Mr Sharif’s office said in a statement yesterday that some members of Jaish-e-Mohammed had been detained in connection with the Pathankot attack.
 
The  statement said the government had made "considerable progress" in investigating the attack, and it wanted to send a team of special investigators to the Pathankot air base.

Jaish-e-Mohammad, or Army of Mohammad, is also blamed for the 2001 Parliament attack that brought the two countries to the brink of war.

Courtesy: ndtv