Summary Congress and Aam Aadmi Party protested against Pakistani team's airbase visit on March 29
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Joint investigation team (JIT), formed to help India in Pathankot probe will hold talks with National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials in New Delhi, Dunya News reported Wednesday.
The team will discuss the ongoing investigations with the neighbouirng intelligence authorities.
Earlier on March 29, the five-member team had paid a visit to the attack site however, the members were not given complete access.
Know also: India unwilling to offer support in Pathankot attack investigation
The team comprising of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Lahore’s Deputy Director Muhammad Azeem Arshad, Lieutenant Colonel of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Tanvir Ahmad, Lieutenant Colonel Irfan Mirza of Military Intelligence (MI) and CTD Gujranwala’s Shahid Tanvir is led by Muhammad Tahir Rai, Additional Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).
On the other hand, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) protested against Pakistani team’s arrival. Workers of the two parties protested outside the airbase. Congress maintained that national security must not be compromised.
Delhi Chief Minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal alleged Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi of handing over the probe to Pakistan.
On Monday, Indian opposition lashed out at Modi for allowing an Inter-Services Intelligence official to visit the Indian Air Force (IAF) base.
Attack on the airbase
On January 2, six militants had stormed Pathankot airbase in Indian Punjab killing around seven personnel. Repercussions of the attack in regard to tensions between Pakistan and India were not as bad as the case has been in the past years.
Pathankot attack came a week after the surprise meeting of Indian PM Modi and PM Nawaz on Christmas at Sharif’s residence in Lahore’s Jati Umrah. Reports claimed that the attack was meant to sabotage the attempt to better relations through Lahore meeting.
India had suspended all contact with Pakistan in November 2008 after an attack in Mumbai. However, talks were resumed in 2011 amid high tensions across the Line of Control (LoC).
Unprovoked cross-border shelling claimed lives of dozens of Pakistanis in 2014 and 2015.
The most recent scheduled sitting between the two sides, National Security Advisers-level dialogue was postponed after the Pathankot attack.
