Will India pursue foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan? Decision today

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi/Islamabad, Jan 14, 2016: India will on Thursday decide whether to go ahead with the Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan, scheduled on Friday.

 

Islamabad had on Wednesday announced the detention of "several individuals" of the dreaded Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in connection with Pathankot airbase attack, although there was no confirmation of reports that its chief Maulana Masood Azhar was held.

Ministry of External Affairs officials said after a two-hour meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday, it was decided to await the return of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval from Paris on Thursday afternoon for a call to be taken.

Earlier, reports from Islamabad said that Azhar, his brother and "several individuals" belonging to his dreaded terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad which is suspected to have engineered the Pathankot attack, were detained and their offices sealed after India demanded action, linking it to the fate of FS-level talks.

However, late in the night External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India has received no confirmation of the detention of Azhar.