No chance of dialogue at any level with Pakistan before 'credible and visible action' against terror groups, says India

Even as Pakistan Prime Minister hoped to have talks with India following the release of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, India has ruled out any chance of talks at any level with Islamabad. 

India has demanded that Pakistan must take "immediate and verifiable action" against the Jaish-e-Mohammed, responsible for the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, before it can hope for talks. 

Sources in India said on Saturday that there is no chance of dialogue at any level with Pak until it takes credible and visible action against terrorists. 

On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had said Islamabad is ready for talks with India on all issues including terrorism, maintaining that dialogue is the "only way" for peace and stability in the region.

India on Thursday told Pakistan that it has to take concrete steps against the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group before they could engage in talks.

Pakistan must take "immediate and verifiable action" against the JeM and that it must immediately stop any groups or individuals associated with terrorism operating from its territories, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told Pakistan High Commissioner to India Sohail Mahmood after the Pulwama attack. 

Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who admitted in an interview that JeM chief Masood Azhar was in Pakistan, told BBC on Friday that his government was in touch with the terror groups which has denied its role in the Pulwama attack. 

India has handed over a dossier to Pakistan with "specific details of the JeM complicity in Pulwama terror attack and the presence of JeM terror camps and its leadership in Pakistan." 

India also expressed regret at the denial by Pakistan's political and military leadership at the presence of terrorist infrastructure in territories under its control.

The Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the Pulwama attack in which a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of CRPF personnel, killing at least 40 of them. 

Following the terror attack, India on Tuesday launched an airstrike on a JeM camp in Pakistan's Balakot, inflicting heavy casualties to the terror group. 

A day later on Wednesday, Pakistan Air Force violated Indian airspace in their attempt to target military installations in Jammu and Kashmir. While Indian forces foiled the attack and shot down an F-16 of the Pak Air Force, India lost a MiG-21 in the engagement. The pilot of the Indian jet, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by Pakistan and was released two days later on Friday after international pressure on Islamabad. 

(With inputs from Sidhant Sibal)