Pakistan at it again, says not convinced by India’s evidence on Pathankot attack

Islamabad has rejected India’s claim that Pathankot attackers telephoned several persons, including Jaish-e-Mohammad leaders based in Pakistan.

Islamabad: A Pakistan Joint Investigation Team (JIT), which visited India in March to collect evidence on the Pathankot airbase attack, is “not convinced that its soil was used to plan the strike”.

Hindustan Times has further quoted a senior aide of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as rejecting India’s claim that attackers telephoned several persons, including Jaish leaders based in Pakistan. “Anybody can call the Jaish-e-Mohammad numbers from India.”

India says one of the terrorists, identified as Nasir, had telephoned his mother from Pathankot and apprised her of his suicide mission. “The conversation does not prove that he went from here,’’ the aide said, adding: “The National Investigation Agency could not tell us the exact location from where the terrorists had crossed over from Pakistan into India.”

Seven security personnel and four terrorists were killed in the gunfight at the Indian Air Force base on January 02, 2016, which lasted nearly 80 hours.

India suspects it to be the handiwork of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).

National Investigation Agency (NIA) officials briefed the Pakistan JIT, during its visit from March 27-31, on the investigation carried out into the terror attack.

Sources said NIA officials had names of the terrorists, evidence like transcript of telephonic conversations and other electronic and forensic proof including against JeM chief Masood Azhar's brother Abdul Rauf.

In May, the Interpol issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against JeM terrorist Shahid Latif who has been termed as "one of the crucial handlers" of the Pathankot airbase attackers by the NIA.