CPI welcomes Indo-Pak decision not to abandon FS-level talks

NEW DELHI: CPI today welcomed the decision by India and Pakistan not to give up Foreign Secretary-level talks between them after the Pathankot terror attack, saying holding parleys is the "only way forward" even as it asked Islamabad to take measures against people involved in the strike.

"The talks at Foreign Secretary-level are being rescheduled. It has not been given up. This is a positive thing.

"So, both India and Pakistan should move forward having mutual trust and resume meaningful dialogue process at an early date. Talks are the only way forward, there is no alternative," CPI national secretary D Raja said.

The Rajya Sabha member termed India acknowledging measures taken by Pakistan as a "positive" step.

"We hope Pakistan will take more measures against terrorist outfits now," he said.

India and Pakistan today deferred their Foreign Secretary-level talks to "very near future" even as government here welcomed the apprehending of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members linked to the Pathankot attack and agreed to the visit of a Pakistani SIT.

Detention of several members of JeM, said to be behind the Pathankot attack, is seen by India as an "important and positive first step" although apprehending of its chief Masood Azhar has not been confirmed by Pakistan.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar was scheduled to travel to Islamabad to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhary tomorrow but both the countries announced deferment of the talks with "mutual consent" to "very near future".