Washington nudges Islamabad to walk the talk
Pakistan is scrutinising the two Pakistani cellphone numbers given by India that were allegedly used by the attackers of the Pathankot airbase, officials said on Saturday.
The development comes amid pressure from the US, which feels that the time has come for Pakistan to walk the talk on the promises it made — both in public and in private conversations — that there would be no discrimination in its action against terrorist networks and bring the perpetrators of the Pathankot attack to justice.
The numbers — 03000597212 and 03017775253 — are both switched off. The first number most probably belongs to the mother of one of the attackers while the second belongs to one of the handlers of the terrorists.
The agencies concerned here are looking into details of the evidence and trying to “ascertain the veracity” of it, an official said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already ordered investigations into the leads Delhi has given regarding the Pathankot airbase attack but Islamabad claims the evidence is insufficient.
Meanwhile, Sartaj Aziz, adviser to the Pakistani PM on foreign affairs, has said that the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet on January 15 to discuss the modalities and time schedule of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue.
In a written reply to a question in the National Assembly, Mr Aziz said the planned meeting will discuss the modalities and time schedule of the comprehensive bilateral dialogue, which would discuss all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
“As per the joint statement issued on December 9 during the visit of Indian external affairs minister to Pakistan, the Jammu and Kashmir dispute will be an important item under the comprehensive bilateral dialogue,” he said.
After agreeing on talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Sharif are struggling to keep the situation under control.
A senior US state department official expressed a sense of satisfaction over the reaction of the Nawaz Sharif government on the first few days of the attack. “It is not about belief. We have to take the word that they have given. They have said that they are going to investigate. Let them do that,” the official said when asked if they believe in what Pakistan is saying this time.
Senior US government officials have been in close contact with their Pakistani counterparts in the aftermath of the attacks in Pathankot and Afghanistan’s Mazar-e-Sharif, urging them to take right course of action which, if they do, would not only be a great confidence-building measure but would also help improve relationship with India.
The state department official said Pakistan should not come out with lame excuses to shield the attackers as has been the case with the Mumbai terrorist attacks.
“They (Pakistan) have said publicly that they are going to investigate. They have said publicly that they are not going to discriminate between terrorist groups. We look to see actions to back up those words,” the official added.
The official indicated that the US wants to give the civilian government time and space to act on its word and hoped that Pakistan would not repeat its past trend wherein it is seen reluctant in taking actions against terrorist groups under one excuse or the other.
Referring to the outpouring of support for India among US lawmakers in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack, officials indicated that in the absence of concrete action by Pakistan against these terrorist groups, it would be a tough call for the Obama administration to push for any new military aid for Pakistan through Congress.
According to officials, it would become very difficult for the US government to convince Republican-controlled Congress to approve the sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan if Islamabad is seen as reluctant in taking action against these terrorist groups.
