Agencies launch Joint probe into PNS Mehran attack

Pakistan was again attacked by terrorists, but commandos recaptured the naval base after 16-hour of standoff. It was the third purported revenge strike in Pakistan since Bin Ladens death.The terrorists had attacked the PNS Mehran at 9:45pm on Sunday while eight officials, including Lieutenant Yasir Abbas martyred. Commandoes killed four terrorists in retaliation.After blowing up the aircraft, the insurgents inside the base managed to evade death or capture into Monday by splitting up and firing on marines and commandos sent to catch them.Toward early afternoon, the militants were holed up in an office building as navy helicopters flew over the base, and snipers were seen on a runway control tower. A final crack of automatic weapons fire rang out, and the navy soon declared victory on Monday.Addressing a joint press conference, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that the young officers had saved the citizens by sacrificing their lives.Malik said the attackers were aged between 20 and 25 and the plot was hatched in the Waziristan.That the attackers managed to infiltrate so deep into the high-security base led to speculation that they may have had inside information or assistance. The base is surrounded by barbed-wire topped walls and dotted with sentry points and cameras.Several foreigners, including US and Chinese engineers, were also present in the PNS Mehran at the time of attack. But it is premature to say whether the target of the terrorists were foreigners or the planes.Naval Chief Admiral Noman Bashir has ordered investigations into the attack. He said that terrorists fired six rockets but the navy personnel took away the planes at a safe distance within three minutes. He said one terrorist blew himself up while two others escaped. A large quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from the terrorists. Awards have been announced for the martyred officials.