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India and Pakistan began formal discussions on investigations into the terror attack at the Pathankot IAF base on Monday. This is the first-ever visit of a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from the neighbouring country that included an ISI official to India. The Pakistan team heads to Pathankot on Tuesday.
National Investigation Agency Chief has said that the Pakistani team was “cooperative” during the meeting and has been given limited access to the base.
Washing his hands off the controversy over the JIT’s visit to the Pathankot airbase, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the crime scene has been handed over to the NIA long back. Who can and cannot enter there is entirely at the discretion of NIA officials, he said.
Noting that no permission has been given by the Defence Ministry for entry into the airbase, he said that the “crime scene”, a “non-sensitive” area, has been completely barricaded, including visually, on his orders.
Parrikar added that no defence asset will be used to facilitate the Pakistan JIT’s visit to the airbase.
In an official statement for the NIA, Inspector General Sanjeev Singh said:
Parrikar, who had earlier publicly spoken against the planned visit of the Pakistani team to the Pathankot airbase, said the crime scene was the least sensitive and non-functional area except for a hostel for foreign cadres and mess.
He added that permission to speak to any defence personnel about the issue has been refused. Any questions related to the issue should be directed towards NIA, he said.
The Opposition has slammed the access granted to the Pakistan JIT in the Pathankot Air Base – a strategically important base.
Congress member and spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the Modi-government has taken a u-turn in its policy towards Pakistan poses a threat to national security.
Surjewala, in his statement, has raised eight points questioning the government’s decision.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also slammed the government decision to let the Pakistani team inside the airbase.
Adding that India has been targetted by Pakistan time and again, Kejriwal said that the government of India has bowed down to Pakistan.
(With PTI inputs)
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