Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 2

India today made it clear that action against terror by Pakistan would take priority over any diplomatic activity with it in the aftermath of the Pathankot airbase attack.This was stated today by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar at the Raisina Dialogue in response to a question. “In the aftermath of a terror attack, if you ask me what do you give priority to, a terrorist attack or a diplomatic dialogue, I think the answer should be obvious,” he said.He said India had been saying for a while now that both India and Pakistan continued to be in touch, especially through the National Security Advisers (NSAs) since the Pathankot terror attack.India has blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) for the Pathankot strike and has handed over evidence to Pakistan to prove its case. It is also demanding action against the JeM leader Masood Azar. Pakistan has formed an SIT and promised action, but not much has happened in terms of real action on the ground.On the context of improving ties with Pakistan, he said India was for a “much more modern relationship” with Islamabad. “I think there was a need to have change in attitude towards a number of issues of which terrorism is a central one,” he said.“It takes two hands to clap and that India would like to have same kind of ties with Islamabad like with other neighbours. We need to remove obstacles which are coming in between India and Pakistan. Most people in this country want to treat Pakistan as a normal neighbour,” Jaishankar said.Meanwhile, in Washington DC, Sartaj Aziz, the foreign policy adviser to PM Nawaz Sharif said Pakistan was “anxiously awaiting” the FS talks between the two countries to take place.