Sharif holds second high-level meet over Pathankot

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday held a second high-level meeting today in as many days over the Pathankot terrorist attack, and reiterated his country's commitment to cooperate with India on investigating it.

Today's meeting was attended by Pakistan's army chief General Raheel Sharif, apart from senior ministers and National Security Adviser Nasir Janjua. Also at the meeting were a senior officer of Pakistan's notorious Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and its Director General Military Operations.

After a meeting on Thursday, PM Sharif ordered an investigation into evidence provided by India of the Pathankot attack by six Pakistani terrorists believed to belong to the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group, reports said.

The evidence has been handed over by India to Pakistan's Intelligence Bureau chief Aftab Sultan for further action.

At today's meeting, Sharif re-affirmed Pakistan's strong condemnation of terrorism and its commitment to eradicate terrorism from the region.

Pakistani media reports said the meeting expressed confidence that the two neighbours would remain committed to "sustained, meaningful and comprehensive dialogue" building on the goodwill generated through meetings between their Prime Ministers.

India has indicated to Pakistan that crucial talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries are unlikely to go ahead next week unless Pakistan delivers "prompt and decisive action" on the evidence it has given.

The evidence furnished by India includes intercepts of phone calls made by the six terrorists. Ammunition and other equipment recovered from them after they were killed was made in Pakistan.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi firmly told Sharif on the phone earlier this week that India wants to see urgent action taken against those who conceived and executed the attack.

The attack in Pathankot, where India keeps fighter jets and attack helicopters, came just a week after Modi made an unscheduled visit to Pakistan to meet Sharif, a demonstration of the leaders' commitment to speeding up a rapprochement after months of bilateral tension.