Talks off till very near future, says India

However, India was not convinced since a statement issued by the office of Prime Minister of Pakistan which confirmed arrests of members of Jaish did not mention about Azhar and his brother.

Reports of detention of JeM Chief Masood Azhar widely carried by the Pakistani media yesterday and picked up by the Indian press, turned out to be untrue but India has not linked the talks to his detention.

India has blamed the JeM, a terrorist group which is known to have links with the Pakistani security establishment, for the January 2 attack on the Indian Air Force station at Pathankot in Punjab.

The arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar by Pakistan today evoked a guarded response from both BJP and Congress, while Shiv Sena remained unimpressed with the action and described it as their “usual game” of arresting and then letting them off later. In the event even that fig leaf is not forthcoming, as Islamabad couldn’t summon up the will to detain or question those identified by India as the masterminds of the Pathankot attacks.

“We look forward to the visit of the SIT”. We believe the detention of Jaish members is an important development and a positive first step.

Postponing the talks barely 24 hours before they were to be held in Islamabad, India said the decision to defer it “to a near future” was taken after the two Foreign Secretaries spoke to each other. India on its part, did not call-off the talks.

“We are looking for the credible and comprehensive action to bring all the perpetrators of Pathankot terror attack to justice”, Swarup said. There is speculation that the NSAs of the two countries may meet before the FS-level talks.

“Too often steps taken in haste have unravelled over time”.

He further said Pakistan condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.