Pakistan probe team reaches Pathankot airbase amid protests

A probe panel from Pakistan looking into the Pathankot airbase terrorist attack in January reached the frontier air force base campus on Tuesday amid vociferous protests by opposition parties.

Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) arrived on the rear side of the sprawling IAF air base in a security mini-bus accompanied by NIA officials and surrounded by Punjab's Police's elite SWAT commandos.

Protests by Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists erupted near the front gate of the Pathankot airbase on Tuesday morning as the Pakistan team headed towards it in north Punjab.

The protestors carried black flags and banners. The banners named officials of the Pakistani team, especially those from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence.

Security agencies deputed additional personnel to strengthen security outside the rear part of the air base following the protests.

Authorities at Pathankot airbase said that the visiting Pakistan probe team will be taken only to specific and limited areas within the sprawling Air Force Station (AFS) complex.

The JIT members will be kept away from the AFS' technical area and shown only those areas where security forces engaged the Pakistani terrorists in the first week of January.