No talks with Pakistan till action on terror: NSA Ajit Doval

Earlier this day an Indian newspaper published a report which said that secretary-level dialogue with Pakistan were cancelled and that New Delhi will talk to Islamabad only when the action against Pathankot airbase attackers will be taken.

A meeting between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan had been scheduled for January 15, but it is unclear if it will still happen, after six militants launched an assault on January 2 against the base and killed seven security personnel. It is likely that India would notify the postponement at the eleventh hour some time next week.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Saturday said that all the state institutions in Pakistan were fully committed to eliminate terrorism. No communication has taken place between the two capitals on this count ever-since Pathankot episode. “Before talks, we want Pakistan to take clamp down on terror”.

NSA Doval denies saying “Indo-Pak talks cancelled”; says talks with Pak only after action – National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval has clarified that the January 15 foreign secretary level talks have not been cancelled and will go on as scheduled, while rubbishing claims made by a national daily.

The talks between India and Pakistan should not be held keeping only “external considerations” in mind as they “can undermine the possibilities of a (meaningful) dialogue”, a daily said on Monday.

Last week, following the Pathankot attack, India had categorically said that “the ball was in Pakistan’s court on the continuation of the resumed bilateral talks” following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unscheduled stopover on December 25 at Lahore to meet his counterpart, Nawaz Sharif.

Some analysts have suggested the two attacks may have been coordinated by elements within Pakistan’s powerful military, who see eternal conflict with India as their raison d’etre.