India sends letters rogatory to Pakistan seeking details of Pathankot attackers

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs has sent letters rogatory to Pakistan seeking details in connection with the Pathankot terror attack. As per sources, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seeks details of phone numbers, of people allegedly belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Pak-made things recovered from the terrorists.

India on Wednesday indicated that action against terror by Pakistan will take priority over talks with it in the aftermath of the Pathankot strike that had prompted the postponement of the Foreign Secretary-level talks.

"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," Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said.

He was replying to a question during an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue - a conclave on geo-economics and geo-politics - on whether Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries were linked to action by Pakistan on information given to it by India on Pathankot terror attack.

Jaishankar said both the countries were in touch with each other following the Pathankot attack, primarily at the level of National Security Advisers and to a certain extent between him and his Pakistani counterpart. The Foreign Secretary said "parallel processes" are at works.

India had blamed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed for the Pathankot attack and sought action against the perpetrators of the strike which had led to the postponement of Indo-Pak Foreign Secretary-level talks. India had said Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar masterminded the attack.

In February, Pakistan had lodged an FIR into the Pathankot terror attack case which was seen by India as a "step forward" in bringing the perpetrators of the strike to justice. The FIR was filed against "unknown persons" though India had named Masood Azhar as mastermind of the strike.

India has submitted evidence to show that the six men who opened fire at the air base came from across the border, and demanded action against the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed led by Azhar.