Summary SIT will be sent to India to probe involvement of Pakistan-based terrorists in Pathankot assault.
Dunya News Report (Madiha Fareed)
ISLAMABAD- Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Interior Minister Chaudary Nisar Ali Khan has said that India has agreed to receive and facilitate Pakistani Investigation Team to probe the allegations of involvement of Pakistani-based terrorists in Pathankot Airbase attack.
Interior Minister announced that a Special Investigative team (SIT) will be sent to India in next few days. Indian Authorities have been informed already through a letter sent by Foreign Ministry to which India has agreed to let Pakistani investigation Team to visit India in order to collect more information regarding the assault and the attackers. The only condition India made that its Authorities must be informed five days prior to the visit. Previously it was reported by Indian media that India will not allow Pakistani Investigators inside the Airbase premises.
The investigation team is expected to visit the site of the attack and collect evidence related to Indian claim that the terrorism episode was planned in Pakistan and executed by a group of four who had crossed the border into Pathankot. The SIT will also hold meetings with Indian officials involved in the probe.
On Friday, Pakistan Government had officially lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unnamed suspects involved in Pathankot assault on the basis of information provided by Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. The FIR also mentioned mobile phone numbers, provided by Indian Authorities, which were allegedly contacted by the attackers during the siege.
Chaudary Nisar clarified the reservations regarding FIR, saying that it was necessary to start legal proceeding and to obtain information from the service providers. He added that a similar FIR was registered in Mumbai attacks 2008 also. He added that “FIR provides a basis to carry forward the investigations”.
However Ch. Nisar abstained from revealing names of persons who have been arrested in link with pathankot assault calling it a “sensitive matter”.
Previously, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after contacting Indian Premier had constituted a six- member Judicial Investigation Commission (JIT) headed by Additional Inspector General of Punjab s Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) Rai Tahir to probe India s claim that Jaish-e-Muhammad was behind the attack. The FIR was reportedly lodged on JIT’s recommendations.
According to the sources, Pakistani National Security Advisor (NSA) Lt. Gen Nasser Janjua and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval have remained in contact regarding the ongoing investigation and have almost finalized the schedule for SIT’s visit to India.. It is reported that Indian Foreign Secretary will visit Pakistan after SIT’s visit to India possibly in March to devise a viable mechanism for the halted bilateral talks.
Yesterday Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in an interview with an Indian News Channel “Aaj Tak” that “Registration of FIR is not enough; Pakistan needs to take solid steps to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice”. He added that there should be serious investigation form Pakistan’s side to satisfy India. However he regarded the lodging of FIR as a positive step.
Analysts in Pakistan are viewing the whole episode of lodging FIR and sending investigation Team to India as critical, as it is a part acknowledgement that the attacks were originated from Paksitani soil.
It is important to note that Pakistani agencies have repeatedly claimed that India is behind insurgency in Baluchistan and several other high-level terrorist attacks like the 2009 attack on Sri-Lankan cricket team in Lahore. However no serious action has ever been taken from Indian side. Despite the fact that Pakistan had provided India the proof of it s involvement in link to terrorism in pakistan, no solid step has been taken from Indian side. Pakistan s position has never been taken seriously by the international community either. The situation points to serious flaws in Pakistan s diplomacy and failure to conduct conclusive investigations.
