No concrete measures taken after Uri, Pathankot attacks: Parliamentary panel

A parliamentary panel on Thursday rapped the Defence Ministry for not taking any "concrete measures" following terror attacks like Uri and Pathankot.

The parliamentary standing committee on Defence headed by Maj Gen B.C. Khanduri (retired) in an earlier report had said that heightened security measures needed to be taken post the terror attack on an airbase in Pathankot in January last year.

The government in an Action Taken Report sent to the panel said the report by a committee under former Vice Chief of Army Lt. Gen. Philip Campose (retired), which was submitted on May 20, 2016, is being examined "in consultation with all stakeholders".

In a report tabled in Lok Sabha on Thursday, the committee pointed out that the report by the panel under former Vice Chief of Army was submitted in May 2016 and the ministry has furnished its Action Taken Report in December.

"Yet, there is no information with regard to the inputs considered in the report," the panel pointed out.

"The security scenario is vulnerable as has been exposed during the Pathankot and Uri attacks. Yet, no concrete measures appear to have been taken even after a lapse of 6-7 months of the submission of the report," it said.

The panel said it is "disturbed" to note the "apparent lack of sincerity" on the part of the Defence Ministry and desires that the situation should improve.

"Necessary measures must be taken so as to ensure that any unpleasant incidence does not recur," the panel said.

Terrorists attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station, part of the Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force, on January 2, 2016, killing seven security personnel.

On September 18 last year, four heavily armed terrorists attacked an Army camp near the town of Uri in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 19 Army personnel were killed.

In both attacks, the terrorists came from across the border, India has said.

--IANS

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