NEW DELHI: An element of uncertainty today prevailed over next week’s Foreign Secretary-level talks with Pakistan amid indications that these may be deferred in the wake of the terror strike at the Pathankot air base.
A clear indication that the Government was “mulling options” came from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who said, after a meeting of National Security Council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that India would take a view on the talks after the operation in Pathankot was over.
Given the anger in India over the terror strike which appeared to have originated from Pakistan, the view here is that the situation here needs to be reassessed before Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar travels to Islamabad which he was scheduled to do on January 14.
It is possible that the National Security Advisors of the two countries who have been tasked with focusing on issue of terrorism, may meet urgently to discuss the aftermath of the Pathankot attack as also the strike on Indian Consulate in Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan. The talks between Foreign Secretaries may follow.
Jaishankar is scheduled 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”. (AGENCIES)
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