Jaish-e-Muhammad chief Masood Azhar in ‘protective custody,’ confirms Rana

“Pakistan and India have agreed to reschedule foreign secretary level talks [set for January 15] in the very near future”, Qazi Khalilullah, Pakistan’s foreign office spokesman, said in a statement on Thursday. “The government welcomes the proposed visit of Pakistani probe team and Indian investigative agencies will provide it all possible help”, Vikas Swarup said. It also refused to confirm information that Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of the banned militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad, had been taken into custody for investigating the outfit’s alleged role in the attack on the Pathankot airbase in India.

There has been widespread speculation that the NSAs of the two countries may meet before the FS-level talks but Swarup fobbed-off the question by merely stating that there was no such information.

Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of “Jaish-i-Mohammad” group was in custody, Law Minister in Punjab province, Rana Sanaullah, told Dawn TV channel late Thursday.

On Wednesday, Pakistan said it had arrested several members of the group.

“The action against the Jaish-e-Mohammad (group) is an important and positive first step”, he said.

Pakistan confirmed on Thursday the postponement of dialogue with India following the attack on an Indian airbase.

By all accounts the reports appeared to be untrue but India has not linked the talks to his detention.

Although Pakistan did not name those arrested on Wednesday, Indian and Pakistani media reports said Masood Azhar was among those detained.

Rescheduling announcement in India came a couple of hours after it was made in Pakistan.

The talks were scheduled to take place on January 15. “The meeting reiterated that in line with our decision to counter and completely eliminate terrorism, Pakistan would remain engaged with India on this issue”, the statement said.

The Indian official said special investigation team was an operational level thing and foreign secretary doesn’t get into terminology. “So far what Pakistan has done we welcome”, Swarup said.

In a break from the past, the two governments appeared to have coordinated their strategy with Islamabad not going into a denial mode with regard to involvement of Pakistani elements in the attack and apprehending JeM members.

Jaish-e-Mohammed was set up to fight Indian rule in Kashmir.