Pak should fulfill repeated assurances on checking terror:Govt

Government today said Pakistan must fulfill its repeated assurances of not allowing its soil for "aiding and abetting" terrorism directed against India and asserted that it was committed to work towards a normal relationship with the neighbour.
Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said it was conveyed to Pakistan at the highest level after the Pathankot attack that it must take firm and immediate action against organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the strike.
"The government is committed to working towards a normal relationship with Pakistan by addressing all outstanding issues through bilateral peaceful dialogue," he said.

At the same time, he said it has been reiterated to Pakistan that "it needs to fulfill its repeated assurances including at the highest level to not allow its territory or areas under its control for aiding and abetting terrorism directed against India."
The Pathankot terror attack had led to postponement of the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries. India had blamed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the attack and sought action against its perpetrators. It had said Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar masterminded the attack.
Yesterday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar had suggested that action against terror by Pakistan was priority for it over bilateral dialogue in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack.

Singh said both sides had agreed on December 9 last year to a Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue on all outstanding issues in view of the "express assurance" given by Pakistan to take steps for expediting Mumbai terror attack trial and the mutual understanding to cooperate with each other to eliminate terrorism in all its forms.
To a separate question, he said the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries have been in touch with each other to schedule their meeting to work out modalities of the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue.