PATHANKOT/ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: Amid criticism of the manner in which the Pathankot terror attack was handled by the security set-up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today expressed satisfaction over the decision-making, its execution and the considerations that went into the tactical response to the assault on the air base.
Soon after the landing, Mr Modi took round of the strategic Air base to have first-hand information about the attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed ultras and the latest updates on investigations conducted by central agencies including NIA. Later, the PM posted a series of tweets lauding the role of the security forces in responding to the attack.
”Noted with satisfaction the decision-making & its execution, the considerations that went into our tactical response”, the Prime Minister tweeted after he visited the airbase for a first-hand assessment of the situation in the aftermath of the attack in which seven security personnel were martyred and six terrorists killed. The Prime Minister also praised the valour of security personnel.
“Also noted coordination among various field units..,..lauded bravery & determination of our men & women on the ground..,..they are our pride. Was briefed in great detail on how our forces neutralised such a serious terrorist attack”, Mr Modi tweeted.
Earlier, the Prime Minister made an aerial survey of the area. Strict security arrangements had been made for the Prime Minister’s visit. PM saw the damaged Air Force mess building which was demolished by the security forces during the operation to neutralise the two terrorists hiding there. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chiefs of Army and Air Force, NSG and BSF were present during the visit.
In a related development in Islamabad, Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Mohammad Asif said today that his country would not allow any terror group to derail the peace dialogue with India.
Action was on against the forces involved in acts of terrorism, Mr Asif told Geo TV. Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf are among the four Pakistani handlers, whose names were given to Pakistan by Indian agencies. Masood and Abdul were the suspected masterminds of IC-814 hijack case.
He said Pakistan had achieved substantial success against terrorist elements under the ongoing operation ‘Zarb-e-Azab’.
The Minister said his country was committed to work against terrorism in all its form, as it was against humanity.
Mr Asif’s remarks came a day after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to cooperate with India on the leads provided on the Pathankot terror attack. The Foreign Secretaries of the two countries were scheduled to meet in mid-January, to work on modalities of the comprehensive dialogue process, but India has now conveyed to Pakistan that talks depended on the action against culprits of the Pathankot terror attack.
However, in a conflicting voice, a senior official was today quoted as saying, in a Islamabad report, that Pakistan needed concrete evidence from India to act. According to the news report in a leading national English daily Dawn, a senior official said Pakistan was ”expecting concrete evidence beyond the lead and information to proceed, as per our law.”
Merely leads suggesting that attack was planned and directed from Pakistan were not enough, Dawn quoted the official as saying. Prior to this, Mr Sharif presided over meeting of high officials in Islamabad yesterday, the second meeting in two days, for reviewing the progress in the investigations in this case.
At the meeting, Mr Sharif reviewed the progress on the probe he had ordered yesterday (as per a report carried by the Nation) into the role of any Pakistan handlers of the ‘fidayeen’ strike on the high security defence installation in India’s border state of Punjab.
Mr Sharif’s action came after a clear message from New Delhi that the proposed Foreign Secretary-level talks would take place provided Pakistan took prompt and decisive action on the promise given by him to Prime Minister Modi during his telephonic conversation with him this week.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is also understood to have spoken to his Pakistan counterpart Naseer Janjua yesterday.
Mr Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestation, according to Radio Pakistan. Reviewing the progress made on the information provided by the Government of India, the meeting decided to remain in touch with New Delhi in this regard. It reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the region.
The meeting expressed the confidence that building on the goodwill generated by the recent high level contacts, the two countries would remain committed to a sustained, meaningful and comprehensive dialogue process.
Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Minister of Finance Ishaq Dar, Minister for Interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, National Security Advisor Nasir Janjua, Director General of the ISI, Foreign Secretary and Director General of Military Operations attended the consultations.
According to another report in the Nation, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan today told the National Assembly that the Foreign Secretary level talks will be held in Islamabad on January 15.
The two top diplomats would discuss modalities for the comprehensive bilateral dialogue and its time frame during the meeting, the Ministry said. There was no official word from South Block as to whether the FS-level talks scheduled for January 15 were on.
Meanwhile, former NSA M K Narayan in a TV interview has said “not using the army to handle the Pathankot attack was a mistake unless there were good reasons for not doing so and they must be make public, changing COs three times was wrong and the ease with which the terrorists reached Pathankot reflects poor security”. “Now, the FS talks must be suspended and at the least, Pak must arrest Masood Azhar”, Mr Narayan added. (UNI)
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