Indo-Pak talks: MEA says modalities are being worked out with Pakistan

Pakistan's High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, said on 7 April that the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team's visit to India to probe the Pathankot terror attack was not on the basis of reciprocity. He hinted that an Indian team from the NIA would not be allowed to visit Pakistan in return. Basit also said that the Indo-Pak peace process stands "suspended".

Reacting to this, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas recalled the press conference of Pakistani Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nafees Zakaria in which he said, "I have stated this many times that both countries are in contact with each other and it has been reiterated from both sides that modalities are being worked out.

"On the matter of reciprocity, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit had said: "The whole investigation is not about the question of reciprocity in my view. It is more about extending cooperation or our two countries cooperating with each other to get to the bottom of the incident." India said that before the JIT came to India, the nations had agreed that the visit would be on the basis of reciprocity.

Swarup said, "The MEA would like to clarify that on 26 March, 2016, before the visit of the JIT, the Indian High Commission formally conveyed to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry that the Terms of Reference are broadly agreed to with the proviso that these would be on the basis of reciprocity and followed in accordance with extant legal provisions".