Pakistani security team visits Pathankot airbase

PATHANKOT (Staff Report) - Pakistan's investigation team on Tuesday arrived in Pathankot to investigate the site of terrorist attack that occurred at the airbase on January 2 this year.

Reports said that the team was given a limited access to the airbase. The team was not even allowed to enter through the main gate. Strict security arrangements were made at the airbase during team's stay.

The team comprised of officials of Intelligence Bureau (IB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Police’s Counter-Terrorism Department. It will stay in for seven days.

India had allowed Pakistani investigation team to visit the selected sections of Pathankot airbase and record statements of several military/civil officials. The team, however, was not be allowed to interview the SP Gurdaspur Police -whose vehicle was allegedly used by the terrorists to reach the airbase.

In a pre-dawn attack on January 2, a group of heavily- armed Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, struck at the Air Force base in Pathankot.

Indian intelligence reports suggested that groups and people in Pakistan planned and executed the strike. India has provided “specific and actionable information in this regard” to Pakistan.

The evidence is said to include some voice recordings and the cellular phone numbers of the attackers.

Pakistan took several members of Jaish-e-Mohammad including Moulana Masood Azhar, who according to India planned the attack, into protective custody and an FIR was also registered against unidentified terrorists in Gujranwala Counter Terrorism Police Station under the sections 302, 309 and 301 of Pakistan Penal Code and section 7 of Anti-terrorism Act.