Pathankot attack: In confidential NSA-level talks, India confronts Pakistan
Reports have surfaced about a secret dialogue between Indian NSA Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart, Lieutenant-General Nasser Khan Janjua. It has survived several bilateral crises, including the Pathankot attack and the Uri strikes. Amid a growing military power in Islamabad, keeping the line open is crucial, sources say. Recently, Doval confronted Janjua over Pakistan's claims of inability to locate Pathankot-linked terrorists. Details here.
The India-Pakistan NSA-level dialogue started in Bangkok in December'15, when the two met along with Foreign Secretaries S Jaishankar and Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. It came days after Indian PM Narendra Modi and former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif agreed to resume bilateral talks.
Courtesy to the NSA talks, Pakistan eventually admitted the Pathankot attackers had called the Bahawalpur JeM headquarters. On this side, Doval agreed to meet a Pakistani SIT. The team was also allowed to meet the NIA and was handed over evidence. However, Pakistan denied knowing the location of operatives who were found to have been interacting with the attackers.
Two persons known to have been in touch with the attackers were Kashif Jan and Shahid Latif. Call records and social media activity established their involvement. Latif had earlier served 17 years in an Indian prison for terrorism-related charges. He was deported in 2010.
Doval has reportedly pressed Janjua for action against the perpetrators, presenting evidence against Islamabad's claims of not knowing their whereabouts. However, with Sharif's ouster, the dynamics have changed. Experts say under the growing military power, PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi seems to have relaxed the government's clampdown on terrorists. Days earlier, 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed was released from house arrest.
Amid the changing dynamics, Janjua, who was handpicked by Sharif, seems to have lost his standing. Janjua "sways like a pendulum" between the government and ISI, which vary greatly on how to handle jihadists, a diplomat said. For now, though Doval's confidence has frayed, New Delhi will continue the NSA-evel talks to manage future crises and understand Pakistan's intent, sources say.
