The foreign secretary-level talks between Pakistan and India scheduled for Friday (January 15) in Islamabad have reportedly been postponed. According to Indian media reports, the decision to postpone the foreign secretary-level talks has been taken after mutual understanding by the two governments in the wake of the Pathankot airbase terrorists attack. The decision comes following Pakistan arrested several members associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, which the Indian authorities have blamed for the airbase attack. The reports, however, maintained that the talks have not been cancelled and a new date would be announced shortly.

However, it could not be officially confirmed as Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah could not be reached for his comments. Pakistan had earlier proposed the date for the foreign secretaries of the two countries to meet in Islamabad on January 15, 2016 to prepare schedules for the upcoming talks between the two countries at various levels under the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue, as agreed at the top level during Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to the country in December last year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016