Union home minister Rajnath Singh in a candid conversation with scribes indicated that he learnt of Pakistan Joint Investigation Team’s visit to India through the media.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh in a candid conversation with scribes indicated that he learnt of Pakistan Joint Investigation Team’s visit to India through the media. Making it clear that there was “no communication gap” and that the home ministry was aware of the visit, the ministry officials clarified that the minister was not keen to talk about Indo-Pak issues at that juncture. While saying that “I have come to know through media that the Pakistan team is coming,” the home minister also said that “we are fully prepared for the team’s visit.”
“Modalities for the Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan, probing the terror attack in Pathankot airbase, will be worked out once they arrive in India,” the home minister said. “Let’s wait for Sushmaji (Sushma Swaraj) to be back,” he added.
The home minister’s statement to the media came a day after external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj said in Pokhara (Nepal) on Thursday that the Joint Investigation Team from Pakistan will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack. Ms Swaraj’s announcement came soon after a meeting with her Pakistani counterpart Sartaj Aziz.
Top officials in the ministry said the home minister had received the “official communication’’ on the arrival of the Pakistan team through “proper channels’’, but keeping in view the sensitivity of the matter, he did not wish to speak on it.
“The home minister has a distinct way of replying to media questions. He wanted to avoid speaking on the issue of the Pakistan JIT’s visit . There has been no communication gap or differences with the MEA on the issue. Both ministries have been coordinating the visit for several days now,” the official said.
Meanwhile, security sources indicated that the Indian government may consider whether to allow the Pakistani SIT into those areas of the Pathankot air-base that do not house strategic assets like aircraft.
These areas would include ones where the terrorists had opened fire.
It may be recalled that the security forces had successfully cordoned off parts of the airbase that housed the strategic assets of the Indian Air Force like fighter aircraft.
Sources indicated that the places in India where the Pakistani SIT team would be allowed to visit would be decided mutually by both countries before the start of the visit so that there is no confusion or controversy once the visit begins.
On Thursday, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju had said India will allow a Pakistan probe team to visit wherever necessary in connection with the probe into the terror attack on Pathankot airbase.
Six Pakistani terrorists, suspected to be belonging to Jaish-e-Mohammad, had attacked the airbase on January 2 in which seven security personnel were killed. In the gun-battle, all the six terrorists were also killed.
