India and Pakistan began formal discussions on investigations into the terror attack at the Pathankot IAF base on Monday. This is the first-ever visit of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from the neighbouring country that included an ISI official to India. The Pakistan team heads to Pathankot on Tuesday.
National Investigation Agency Chief has said that the Pakistani team was “cooperative” during the meeting and has been given limited access to the base.
Pakistan Joint Investigation Team will come back from Pathankot on Tuesday evening, will meet NIA in Delhi on Wednesday again. Pakistan JIT is going to Pathankot tomorrow and has been given limited access. As far as JeM involvement in Pathankot is concerned, Pakistan JIT has not denied the evidence given by NIA. Pakistan’s JIT has not demanded anything so.Sources to ANI
Washing his hands off the controversy over the JIT’s visit to the Pathankot airbase, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the crime scene has been handed over to the NIA long back. Who can and cannot enter there is entirely at the discretion of NIA officials, he said.
We have specifically refused them permission to go anywhere in the airbase.
Noting that no permission has been given by the Defence Ministry for entry into the airbase, he said that the “crime scene”, a “non-sensitive” area, has been completely barricaded, including visually, on his orders.
Parrikar added that no defence asset will be used to facilitate the Pakistan JIT’s visit to the airbase.
In an official statement for the NIA, Inspector General Sanjeev Singh said:
JIT from Pakistan arrived at the NIA headquarter today, they met the Director General and officers associated with the investigation of Pathankot. NIA officers gave the JIT a detailed presentation of the evidences they have collected during course of the investigation. They will be taken to different locations associated with #Pathankot attack case, tomorrow. The JIT and NIA team are interacting under existing legal procedures of India and Pakistan. The exercise is aimed at providing evidences to Pakistan JIT so that all those guilty for the Pathankot could be prosecuted effectively in Pakistan.
If I don’t permit them this crime investigation freedom, then the crime investigation failure would be blamed on the Defence Ministry. We have isolated the area completely.Manohar Parrikar, Defence Minister
Parrikar, who had earlier publicly spoken against the planned visit of the Pakistani team to the Pathankot airbase, said the crime scene was the least sensitive and non-functional area except for a hostel for foreign cadres and mess.
He added that permission to speak to any defence personnel about the issue has been refused. Any questions related to the issue should be directed towards NIA, he said.
Congress, AAP Slam Access to Pakistan JIT
The Opposition has slammed the access granted to the Pakistan JIT in the Pathankot Air Base – a strategically important base.
Congress member and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the Modi-government has taken a u-turn in its policy towards Pakistan poses a threat to national security.
Surjewala, in his statement, has raised eight points questioning the government’s decision.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also slammed the government decision to let the Pakistani team inside the airbase.
Adding that India has been targetted by Pakistan time and again, Kejriwal said that the government of India has bowed down to Pakistan.
(With PTI inputs)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)