Foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan postponed: reports
The meeting, scheduled for Friday, has been pushed by a day after reports said Pakistan had detained the Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, who was behind the Pathankot attacks.
Talks between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan have reportedly been postponed, reported ANI on Thursday. The meeting was scheduled to take place on Friday. The decision comes a day after reports said Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Mazood Azhar was detained in Pakistan, but was not confirmed by Pakistani officials. The decision on the meeting was put on hold till National Security Advisor Ajit Doval returned to India.
Relations between the two countries were cordial till the terror attacks in Pathankot air force base in Punjab. Prime Minister Narendra Modi even made an unscheduled visit to Lahore in December, after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited earlier in the month. After Pathankot, Pakistan assured action against terrorists who were responsible for the attacks there.
Officials believe the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad engineered the attacks. Though Pakistan has said it is investigating the attacks and terrorist elements linked to Pathankot, no official confirmation of Azhar’s arrest was made.