New Delhi/Nagpur: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the first time has said that the terror strike on Pathankot airbase affected the dialogue process with India, reports said on Saturday.
“Talks with India were progressing but the Pathankot attack has affected the dialogue process,” Sharif was quoted as saying by the media.
India has accused that Maulana Masood Azhar, chief of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad chief, is responsible for plotting the Pathankot attack and given several proofs against him.
India has given “specific and actionable information” to Pakistan soon after the Pathankot attack reportedly carried out by JeM terrorists on January 2 that killed seven Indian soldiers.
Pakistan, however, is yet to any action against Azhar or JeM operatives even three weeks after the attacks. Following the attacks, India and Pakistan agreed to postpone scheduled diplomatic talks till the end of January.
Pakistan on Thursday had said it expects India to go ahead with a planned meeting of the foreign secretaries and called on New Delhi not to indulge in a blame game because it undermines efforts to counter terrorism.
Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit said during a television interview in New Delhi that the two sides had acted maturely after the terror strike on Pathankot airbase and not disrupted their engagements.
“I do not see any reason as to why the talks should not happen,” he had said.
(With agency inputs)
