To find a solution, Swaraj brainstorms with Pak experts

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj went into a huddle with former senior diplomats who had extensive experience in Pakistan on Sunday as terrorists allegedly from across the border continued to fire at security forces inside the Pathankot air base.

The pre-dawn Saturday strike is being seen as an attempt to cripple ongoing bilateral overtures and proposed talks later this month and most experts at the meeting advocated a realistic strategy of “not lowering the guard on the borders” while seeking to engage with Pakistan, sources said.

“It is a real challenge how to keep engaging with Pakistan in the wake of public sentiment over daring incidents like the one on the Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot. In diplomacy, patient negotiations pays but the right atmosphere for talks are also necessary,” said one of the participants.

The meeting, billed as an “internal brainstorming session”, was attended by former foreign secretaryshyamsaran former nation Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon and former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s special envoy to Pakistan, S K Lambha. Three former Indian high commissioners to Pakistan — Satyabrata Pal, Sharat Sabharwal and TCA Raghavan — were also present.

Some participants refused to comment. “The operation in Pathankot is still on, so one should not make any comments now,” Shyam Saran told HT.

The government is faced with the difficult situation of terror outfits attacking Indian targets and vitiating the atmosphere for US CONDEMNS ATTACK

The United States on Sunday termed the attack as heinous. “The US strongly condemns the terrorist attack on an air force base in the Indian state of Punjab on January 2. We extend our condolences to the victims and their families,” US state department spokesman John Kirby said. “We urge all countries in the region to work together to disrupt and dismantle terrorist networks and to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous act,” Kirby said. He said the US is committed to its strong partnership with the Indian government