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Pakistan says peace talks with India 'rescheduled' Pathankot attacks: Pakistan, India reschedule peace talks
(about 2 hours later)
Pakistan has said the planned peace talks with India have been rescheduled. Officials in India and Pakistan have agreed to re-schedule diplomatic talks which were postponed after a militant attack on an Indian air base.
Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said on Thursday that the talks would not be held on Friday and a new date was being considered. India accused Pakistan-based group Jaish-e-Mohammad of carrying out the assault in which seven Indian troops and six militants were killed.
India had earlier said the peace talks would go ahead only if Islamabad acted against those it believes were behind the attack on the Pathankot air base. On Wednesday, Pakistan said it had arrested several members of the group.
Seven Indian soldiers died in the four-day attack, which India blames on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group. On Thursday, India said arrangements were being made for a meeting between foreign secretaries of both countries.
"The foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan will not be held tomorrow [Friday] and have been postponed. India and Pakistan governments are in touch so that a date can be fixed on foreign secretary-level talks," Mr Khalilullah said. Hopes for Delhi-Islamabad detente were raised in late December after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an unexpected visit to his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his way back from Afghanistan, and the two sides announced plans to resume peace talks. The attack has set back the peace initiative.
India is yet to comment on Pakistan's announcement. But on Thursday, officials from both sides said the talks remained on the agenda.
Mr Khalilullah did not confirm the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar - a key demand from India. Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah said talks would not be held on Friday and that a new date was being considered.
"I am not aware of such arrests... We have said it often that terrorism is [a] common enemy for all. We have to work together to end it," he said. His Indian counterpart Vikas Swarup said "both foreign secretaries [have] agreed to meet in the very near future".
On Wednesday, Islamabad said it had arrested several militants from Jaish-e-Mohammad and the offices of the organisation were being traced and sealed. Mr Swarup said India was happy with the steps Pakistan had taken so far to arrest some Jaish-e-Mohammad members.
Although Pakistan did not name those arrested, Indian and Pakistani media reports said the group's chief Masood Azhar was among those detained. "The action against members of Jaish-e-Mohammed is a positive step. We welcome the step," he said.
India has also agreed to host a team from Pakistan to investigate the Pathankot attacks.
"We look forward to the visit of Pakistan SIT [Special Investigation Team] and our investigative agencies will extend all necessary cooperation," he said.
Both Mr Swarup and Mr Khalilullah did not confirm the arrest of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar - a key demand from India.
Although Pakistan did not name those arrested on Wednesday, Indian and Pakistani media reports said Masood Azhar was among those detained.
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says Mr Khalilullah's announcement suggests that India may not have found the arrests announced by Pakistan adequate enough.The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says Mr Khalilullah's announcement suggests that India may not have found the arrests announced by Pakistan adequate enough.
But, continued engagement between the two sides indicates that India this time is willing to give time to Pakistan, instead of providing it with a chance to close its file on the matter, our correspondent adds.But, continued engagement between the two sides indicates that India this time is willing to give time to Pakistan, instead of providing it with a chance to close its file on the matter, our correspondent adds.
Hopes for Delhi-Islamabad detente were raised in late December after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid an unexpected visit to his counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his way back from Afghanistan, and the two sides announced plans to resume peace talks. The attack has set back the peace initiative.
The assault on the Pathankot air force base in Punjab, close to the Pakistan border, started on 2 January, when a group of gunmen - wearing Indian army uniforms - entered residential quarters on the air base.The assault on the Pathankot air force base in Punjab, close to the Pakistan border, started on 2 January, when a group of gunmen - wearing Indian army uniforms - entered residential quarters on the air base.
The United Jihad Council - a coalition of more than a dozen militant groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir - claimed the attack.The United Jihad Council - a coalition of more than a dozen militant groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir - claimed the attack.
The claim was met with scepticism - the UJC's core members are not known to have mounted attacks outside Indian-administered Kashmir.The claim was met with scepticism - the UJC's core members are not known to have mounted attacks outside Indian-administered Kashmir.
Indian security officials instead blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed, an Islamist militant group based in Pakistan.Indian security officials instead blamed Jaish-e-Mohammed, an Islamist militant group based in Pakistan.
Started by Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Mohammed has been blamed for attacks on Indian soil in the past, including one in 2001 on parliament in Delhi which took the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of war.Started by Masood Azhar, Jaish-e-Mohammed has been blamed for attacks on Indian soil in the past, including one in 2001 on parliament in Delhi which took the nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of war.