Both Modi and Sharif have accepted Obama’s invitation to attend the nuclear summit in Washington. File photo

Islamabad/New Delhi, Feb 19

India today said it was “disappointed” at the omission of JeM chief Masood Azhar from an FIR lodged by Pakistan authorities in connection with the Pathankot airbase attack. India has accused the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief of masterminding the attack.The FIR was registered at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) centre in Gujranwala, Punjab province, on Thursday against “unknown persons” after weeks of investigations into the assault that had led to the postponement of India-Pak Foreign Secretary talks.“It is a small step in the right direction. But it is disappointing that neither the name of Jaish nor Masood Azhar was incorporated in the FIR,” a senior government official said.“We fail to understand why Jaish and its chief’s names were not included in the FIR despite India giving adequate evidence about their involvement,” the official said.A CTD official said the FIR was required to start police and judicial proceedings on the basis of evidence collected in connection with the attack for which India has blamed Pakistan-based terror group JeM.India had identified Azhar as the mastermind of the attack, and blamed his brother Rauf besides five others for carrying out the attack.The FIR was lodged under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act. The FIR mentioned the telephone numbers contacted by the militants during the attack.The FIR was reportedly registered on the recommendations of a six-member special investigation team (SIT) probing the attack. The team had recommended to the federal government to lodge an FIR on the basis of information provided to National Security Adviser Nasser Khan Janjua by his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.According to a document, the team held three meetings in which the information provided by the Indian side was evaluated and it partially confirmed the Indian version of the incident.Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif had formed the six-member team headed by Additional Inspector General of Punjab’s CTD Rai Tahir to probe India’s assertion that JeM was behind the attack.Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Punjab province Law Minister Rana Sanaullah today said India would be asked for more information. Sanaullah said in Lahore that the FIR showed Pakistan’s “commitment” against militancy. “We will seek more information from India,” he said.Sanaullah said anyone, including Azhar, found guilty of involvement in the attack would be prosecuted. “No one becomes guilty by naming him. I don’t want to name anyone at this stage. Let the probe be over and if Azhar is found involved, action will be taken,” Sanaullah said. — Agencies

Modi, Nawaz likely to meet in US next month

Islamabad, February 19Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi may meet next month in the US on the sidelines of a nuclear summit being hosted by President Barack Obama, a media report said today.The two have accepted Obama’s invitation to attend the nuclear summit in Washington from March 31 and April 1, Dawn newspaper said. “The chances are strong, very strong,” said a senior official who did not want to be identified.“But you know the history of India-Pakistan talks. You cannot be certain about an event until it has happened,” the official added.This is the first time that both leaders will attend the nuclear security summit, which Obama initiated in 2010.The summit, aimed at preventing terrorists from acquiring nuclear arms, brings leaders from across the world to discuss various proposals for attaining this goal. The first summit was held in Washington on April 12-13, 2010. Since this is Obama’s final year in office, the administration is pushing hard for achieving some concrete results during the fourth summit. — PTI