India waits to see Pak’s response

The Indian government indicated Monday that it will decide on going ahead with the foreign secretary-level talks with Pakistan only later this week, after operations to flush out the terrorists from the Pathankot airbase is over. This was conveyed by finance minister Arun Jaitley on Monday. If Pakistan gives some assurance that it will hold a probe and take action, there can be some basis for continuation of the dialogue, sources in New Delhi said, but if it goes into complete denial, it would be difficult for the government to carry on with the talks.

The thinking in government circles as of now seems to be that the foreign secretary-level talks will be held sooner or later. Sources said the government would make it clear to Pakistan that the terrorists intended to carry out a 26/11-type attack and target not only security personnel but also possibly the families of personnel at the airbase along with fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships parked at the base.

Government sources indicated there will be no carte blanche given to Pakistan on continuation of the dialogue, but at the same time the process of talks will not be snapped hastily.

The government is expected to take a final decision soon. As and when the FS-level talks take place, foreign secretary S. Jaishankar is expected to make sure that the menace of terror in the context of the Pathankot attack becomes the major issue for discussion with his Pakistani counterpart.

The former diplomats who met external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Sunday are learnt to have counselled a “measured approach”, which essentially means gathering and analysing data and information regarding the terror strike and confronting Pakistan with the evidence.

“I think let the operations get over... It is only then the government takes a view on such matters (on whether to go ahead with the FS-level talks as scheduled),” Mr Jaitley said after the National Security Council meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the terror attack, among other issues.

Foreign secretary S. Jaishankar is due to travel to Islamabad on January 14 to hold discussions with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry to chalk out a roadmap to carry forward the engagement under the newly-announced “Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue”. The process of resumption of talks was earlier set in motion after a meeting between the two Prime Ministers in Paris on November 30 on the sidelines of the Climate Change Conference.

The meet was followed by the NSAs of India and Pakistan meeting in Bangkok a week later, following which external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited Pakistan to attend the Heart of Asia conference, during which the two sides announced the resumption of talks.

In a surprise move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Lahore on December 25 to greet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday in person.