NEW DELHI, India: An Indian top official on Thursday admitted that Pakistani government had nothing to do with Pathankot attack; however alleged that Jaish-e-Muhammad Chief Masood Azhar was involved.
“No evidence to show that Pakistan government or Pakistani government agency was helping Jaish – e –Mohammed or Masood Azhar or his aides carried out the Pathankot attack,” India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General Sharad Kumar said in an interview with CNN News18 on Thursday.
On January 2 this year, a group of heavily armed terrorists in army uniforms attacked the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Indian Punjab’s Pathankot, resulting in deaths of one civilian and seven security personnel.
Sharad kumar said that the NIA has completed its investigation regarding the Pathankot incident and is waiting for Pakistan to allow the NIA team to visit Pakistan to complete the investigations.
The DG NIA also clarified that charge sheet in this case will be filed even if Pakistan does not give NIA access.
“We have sufficient and stringent evidence against Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Rauf Azhar and we will include those in our charge sheet,” Sharad kumar added.
Meanwhile in a statement, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Nafees Zakaria said that “The statement of DG NIA Government of India has vindicated Pakistan’s longstanding position in the context. Pakistan’s spirit of cooperation is manifested in the action we took in the wake of the alleged incident. JIT’s visit was in this backdrop. The JIT is examining whatever information and intelligence has been shared by India during the visit. Pakistan believes in peaceful coexistence with countries in the region and beyond.”
— SpokespersonMOFA (@ForeignOfficePk) June 2, 2016
Following the Pathankot attack, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a telephonic conversation with his Indian Counterpart Narendra Modi assured him of Pakistan’s full cooperation in investigation of Pathankot air base attack.
Later, Nawaz Sharif also formed a committee which eventually visited India as part of investigation into Pathankot attack.
