ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI: The Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan will not be held in Islamabad tomorrow, as scheduled earlier, Islamabad announced today.
Final word from New Delhi was still awaited. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry also said that it was not aware of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar having been ”arrested”. Islamabad made the announcement about four hours ahead of a regular briefing by India’s External Affairs Ministry.
Replying to a question, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesperson Kazi Khalilullah said the talks will not be held tomorrow. Both countries, Mr Khalilullah said, were in touch and new dates for foreign secretaries meeting were under discussion.
The spokesperson refused to confirm or deny the arrest of Masood Azhar, who was said to be the mastermind behind the attack on Pathankot airbase. “I am choosing my words very carefully. I am not aware of this,” he said, adding that an official statement was issued yesterday after a high-level meeting and he had nothing to add to that.
Reports of Maulana Masood Azhar having been taken into ”protective custody” in Pakistan media was taken as a very positive development in New Delhi, and gave credence to speculation that the Foreign Secretary-level talks might go on as scheduled.(Agencies)
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