Denying that he had told a newspaper that the Foreign Secretary level talks with Pakistan were cancelled, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval today told that talks would take place “only if Pakistan takes action” against those behind the Pathankot terror attack.
India has not officially called off the talks which, according to Pakistan’s foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz, were to take place on Friday.
Mr Doval asserted that dates for the talks had not been fixed.
Last week, the foreign ministry had said that Pakistan must deliver “prompt and decisive action” on the evidence provided by India of the terror attack on January 2 at the air force base in Pathankot.
“The ball is in Pakistan’s court,” said Vikas Swarup, the spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry. “The Immediate issue is Pakistan’s response,” he said.
The attack in Pathankot by six terrorists came just a week after the PM made an unscheduled visit to Pakistan and met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He conveyed to Mr Sharif that India wants to see urgent action taken against those who conceived and executed the attack.
Mr Sharif assured him of his support in the investigation to uncover how the lethal assault was conceived and executed.
On Friday, Mr Sharif met with top officials including Sartaj Aziz, allegedly to review the evidence furnished by India, which includes intercepts of phone calls made by the terrorists who crossed the border and launched a massive assault on the base, leaving seven military personnel martyred and another 20 injured.
The evidence furnished by India includes intercepts of phone calls made by the terrorists to their handlers in Pakistan. Ammunition and other equipment recovered from them after they were killed were made in Pakistan.