Pakistan Doesn't Say Jaish Chief Masood Azhar Is Arrested, Talks To Be Rescheduled

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also said it is in touch with India to reschedule talks between foreign secretaries of the two countries, which Pakistan had said would take place tomorrow, though no date had officially been announced by India.

Since last evening, Pakistani media reported that Masood Azhar had been detained two days ago along with top relatives. But Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for India's Foreign Ministry, said last night, "We have not received official word on detention of Masood Azhar."

India has said that for the talks to take place, Pakistan must take action against those who planned and executed the attack at Pathankot in Punjab, in which seven military personnel were martyred and 22 were injured.

Sources said National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who arrives from Paris this afternoon, will talk to his Pakistani counterpart Nasser Khan Janjua and will then brief Prime Minster Narendra Modi today. India's formal position on the talks is expected to be announced this evening.

PM Modi had last week told his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on the phone that swift and decisive action is expected on Pathankot. Mr Sharif has pledged his assistance on the investigation.

A statement from PM Sharif's office yesterday said, "Several individuals belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed have been apprehended. The offices of the organisation are also being traced and sealed." Today the Pakistani foreign office said it had nothing to add to that information.

In its statement yesterday, Mr Sharif's office also said it is considering sending a team of special investigators to the Pathankot air base but New Delhi has not indicated if this will be acceptable.

Nawaz Sharif has held multiple meetings with his country's Army chief and other senior officials to review investigation into evidence handed over by India on Jaish- e-Mohammed's role in the Pathankot attack.  

Pakistan has rejected some of the evidence given by India, including phone numbers that the terrorists called their handlers on from Pathankot. Islamabad has reportedly conveyed that those phone numbers are not registered in Pakistan.

Jaish chief Masood Azhar was arrested in Kashmir in 1994, but was released along with two other Pakistani terrorists in 1999 in return for 155 passengers held hostage in an Indian Airlines aircraft that was hijacked to Kandahar in Afghanistan.