Pathankot: Pakistan’s Cooperation Essential for Probe, Says NIA

The NIA says Pakistani cooperation is essential in gathering evidence from their soil in the Pathankot attack.

Briefing underway of Pakistan JIT members by NIA officers (Photo Courtesy: NIA)

The cooperation of Pakistan is necessary to gather evidence and bring to justice the terrorist involved in the Pathankot terror attack, the top National Investigation Agency (NIA) told The Quint. Officials claim to have enough evidence to prove the involvement of the top leaders of JeM terror group.

We have the names and evidence to prove involvement of top leaders of JeM terror group. Pakistan can never deny involvement of this terror group after seeing the evidence. We have direct links to suggest JeM chief Masood Azhar was the mastermind.

<b>Senior Official, NIA</b>

Indian and Pakistani probe teams meet. (Photo Courtesy: ANI)

The Indian government had already shared all the evidence with Pakistan through the Letter Rogatory (LR), and says that it can prove terror activities were carried out on Pakistani soil by JeM.

All witnesses have been called to Delhi. Pakistan team will be allowed to examine only witnesses and not security personnel.

<b>Senior Official, NIA</b>

Also Read: Pathankot Probe: Pak Team in India, NIA to Brief on the Progress

Names of the Pakistan Joint Investigation Team

• Mohd Tahir Rai
  
• DIG Mohd Azim Arshad
  
• Lt Col Tanveer Ahmed
  
• Lt Col Irfan Mirza
  
• Inspector Shahod Tanvir
  

Programme Of Pakistan Officials in India

PM Modi and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval watching a presentation on counter-terrorist and combing operation by the Defence Forces, at Pathankot Airbase on Saturday. Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh and Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha are also seen. (Photo: PTI)

According to sources, this is the tentative programme of the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team:

28 March (Monday)

• 11 am: A five-member Pakistan team will first come to NIA HQs. NIA will give presentations to the officials for half an hour.
  
• It will be followed by a question-answer session.
  
• Post lunch, NIA and Pakistan JIT will hold further deliberations on the investigation.
  

29 March (Tuesday)

• Pakistan team will go to Pathankot. Commercial or forces’ aircraft will take them inside the Air Base, where they will be taken to the limited area that is relevant to the investigation.
  
• It is purely a government decision to allow JIT to access the Air Base. The base has been visually barricaded.
  

30 March (Wednesday)

• JIT team will come back to NIA HQs in Delhi. NIA will question the Pakistan team on their findings during their Pathankot visit. NIA will seek their response to the Letter Rogatory sent by India to Pakistan.
  

NIA Team to Visit Pakistan

Masood Azhar, Chief of the Jaish-e-Mohammad militant group, allegedly involved in the terror strike at the Pathankot Air Force base. (Photo: Reuters)

According to the sources, after the visit of the Pakistan JIT, the NIA team will visit Pakistan. As the per the Terms of Engagement signed between India and Pakistan on the Pathankot attack, reciprocity is the rule. The NIA officials are confident of the evidence they collected, which they say clearly indicates JeM’s involvement. Officials further add that the NIA hopes to be allowed access to any evidence located in Pakistan.

Also Read: Pathankot Attack Investigation: What We Expect From Pakistan