India postpones peace talks with Pakistan after attack on airbase

“India has welcomed Pakistan’s response of sending a special investigation team to India to probe the attack on the Indian airbase in Pathankot”, he said. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup also said India would host the Special Investigative Team instituted by Pakistan’s Prime Minister, but before that it expects Pakistan to file an FIR on actionable evidence found during its investigation into the Pathankot attacks.

“We hope that Pakistan will continue its investigation and bring all perpetrators to justice”, he said.

He said, “We are looking for action that is credible”. If SIT does arrive in Pathankot, it will be the first time when India and Pakistan jointly investigate a terror attack directed from Pakistan in India.

However, Swarup categorically stated that the Foreign Secretaries will meet and discuss the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue that takes into account all aspects of the bilateral relationship in which terrorism is one of the issues. “We are resolved to take this investigation to its conclusion”, the senior intelligence official said.

The attack came days after the Indian and Pakistani leaders, Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif, met in Lahore to launch a surprise peace initiative.

Rana Sanaullah, law minister Pakistan’s Punjab province, on Thursday confirmed that banned Jaish-i-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar has been taken into “protective custody” along with his accomplices, but clarified he is “not arrested”.

“We note the apprehension of Jaish-e-Mohammad members”.

As expected, the Foreign Secretary (FS)-level talks between India and Pakistan did not take place as scheduled on Friday.

“The foreign secretary spoke to his Pakistani counterpart and they agreed to reschedule talks in the near future”, he said, adding that the talks would be held “soon”.

In New Delhi, Indian foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup had said that there was no official communication from the Pakistani side on the detentions. Some media reports said he has been put under “protective custody”, a term used to circumvent legal procedures that require production of the arrested person before a magistrate next day for temporary remand in custody of a law enforcement agency for interrogation.

The offices had reportedly been sealed in Bahwalnagar, Bahawalpur, Multan and Muzafargarh cities and the suspected members of the group were also held, top officials briefed Sharif.