JAIPUR - India and Pakistan are in touch regularly “on a daily basis” over Pathankot attack investigations, and will continue to remain engaged, the Indian government said on Wednesday.
“Since Pathankot attack happened, we have been in touch with Pakistan. We have been in touch at my level and the NSA level and will continue to do so because only by remaining in touch, we can expect them to progress on issues of terror on the basis of information which we have provided to them,” Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said, responding to a question at the counterterrorism conference in Jaipur, on whether the government is now willing to see “talks and terror” go together.
Jaishankar’s remarks are significant as they come two weeks after foreign secretary-level talks were put off in the aftermath of the Pathankot attacks, without any confirmation about when they may be held next. Last week, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif admitted that the attacks had “disturbed talks that were going in the right direction” and committed to going to “any length to bring the perpetrators to book”.
WILL STAND BY PAKISTAN IF IT TAKES ACTION: RAJNATH
Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the nation would stand by Pakistan if the latter is committed to take action against terrorists.
"Government of India will stand by Pakistan if it takes decisive action against terrorists and their organisations. For India, Mumbai and Pathankot attacks have signified a tectonic shift," Rajnath Singh said while addressing the valedictory session of Counter Terrorism Conference.
He also asserted that the advance intelligence input on Pathankot helped the security agencies in neutralising the possible impact of the terror attack. "We are working on a National Security Strategy aiming to achieve seamless coordination between all the agencies," he added.