Pathankot terror attack: 'India seeks access to JeM chief Masood Azhar'

Delhi: Even as five-member Pakistani probe team, including an ISI official, on Tuesday visited the Pathankot airbase, a media report said India wants DNA samples of JeM chief and founder Masood Azhar.

As per a report in News X, India has sought access to Azhar and will send a formal letter rogatory to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team (JIT) team accompanied by NIA officials entered the strategic airbase from its rear side today after their convoy stopped at 'Upper Doaba' canal and the members took a mini bus to travel through the dirt track next to the water body.

The team, officials said, was taken to only the "scene of crime" where the encounter occurred between the security men and terrorists and the entire process was videographed by two IAF personnel, as per PTI.

It is for the first time that that a Pakistani team has visited the country to probe a terror case and has been given access to a strategic installation.

The Pakistani JIT is led by Punjab's Additional Inspector General of Police, Counter Terrorism Department, Muhammad Tahir Rai and also includes ISI's Lt Col rank officer Tanvir Ahmed.

The area was "visually barricaded" so that the defence assets were not exposed, officials said.

Commandos of the special SWAT team ran for half a kilometre with the bus, till the JIT and NIA sleuths entered from a newly created entry on the airbase's perimeter wall laden with huge concertina wires at about 11:20 AM.

This the same fence from where at least four terrorists breached the airbase security apparatus and entered on the morning of January 1 this year before launching the attack later that night.

They killed seven securitymen before being shot dead after an 80-hour gun battle.

Waving black flags and placards, scores of Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers today stood outside the air base protesting against the visit and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans.

They accused the BJP government of hurting the sentiments of the people of the country by allowing the Pakistan team to probe terror attack on Indian soil.

(With PTI inputs)