Lawmakers question allowing Pakistan investigators into Pathankot base

A panel of parliamentarians on Tuesday questioned the government allowing Pakistani investigators into the Pathankot airbase to probe the January 2 terror attack at the heavily guarded defence complex.

"What made the government of India to seek help of Pakistan into investigation of (the) terror attack and invite a Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan to India," Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs asked in a report seeking answers from the government over various issues including alleged security lapses in preventing cross-border terrorism.

India blamed Pakistani terrorists for the terror attack at the air force base in Pathankot that killed seven security personnel.

Three months after the attack, a team of Pakistanis, including an ISI officer, visited India to probe the attack. The investigators from that country were also allowed inside the heavily guarded 2,000-acre defense complex that houses high-value assets, including fighter jets.

While the opposition questioned the move, the government defended it saying the Pakistani investigators were given access to an isolated "crime" spot and not the entire sensitive airbase.

India had anticipated that Pakistan will reciprocate the move and allowed a team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) to visit there and question terror suspects, including Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, who is alleged to have masterminded the attack that killed seven security panel.

But Pakistan has so far dragged its feet on allowing Indian investigators on its soil.

--IANS

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