New Delhi: National Secutity Adviser Ajit Doval is learnt to have shared all vital leads with Pakistan on the attack, and New Delhi is awaiting action by the Nawaz Sharif government on the Jaish-e-Mohammed handlers in Pakistan, including its chief Maulana Masood Azhar, who roams freely on Pakistani soil.
The home minister is learnt to have told Ms Swaraj that India’s anti-terror pitch to Pakistan “needs to be very strong” after New Delhi put the ball in Pakistan’s court, sharing evidence to prove that the attack was sponsored by Pakistan-based terror outfits.
There is also speculation that the NSAs of the two nations may meet first, possibly in a third country, to discuss the evidence on the Pathankot attack and cross-border terror linkages to Pakistan before the FS-level talks take place.
There is a possibility that Pakistan could ask for more time to crack down on perpetrators functioning from its soil. If Pakistan seeks time to act on leads given by India, New Delhi could postpone talks for a few days to enable Pakistan to deliver on its promise of fighting terror.
