Will act promptly against Pathankot attackers: Sharif to Modi

BSF Director General D K Pathak, flanked by a battery of his top commanders, today visited some sensitive border locations along the Punjab frontier in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack on the Pathankot IAF base.

Replying to questions on the reported security lapses, he said, “I see some gaps”. He did not elaborate.

He said they were engaged by Indian troops and were kept away from the base’s aircraft and military equipment.

Indian officials blame Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit for the attack.

The NIA has started the investigation.

Parrikar said except the Garud commando, no one else was killed in direct operation. He said that the terrorists carried explosives with them but all assets are safe.

Parrikar admitted that the entire operation “is a very difficult” one.

Parrikar did not explain how just a handful of gunmen managed to paralyze a large Indian air base for nearly four days, insisting that security forces had done “a commendable job”.

He said the terrorists were carrying 40-50 kgs of bullets, mortars, which were fired from modified Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher besides some magazines.

The United Jehad Council (UJC), an umbrella grouping of Kashmiri militant groups based in Pakistan and led by Syed Salahuddin, on Monday claimed responsibility for the attack. He said it would find out “who sent them”.

Security forces continued search and combing operation inside the Pathankot air base on Tuesday – the fourth day after the attack on the frontline Air Force Station (AFS) by suspected Pakistani terrorists.

Sharif gave the assurance after New Delhi provided “specific and actionable information” to Islamabad regarding the terrorists, and Modi underlined the need for Pakistan to take “firm and immediate action” against organisations and individuals responsible for the attack. Quoting security sources the Indian media said the intelligence agencies had intercepted communication between the attackers and their handlers in Pakistan.

Sharif also told Modi that the militants wanted to derail the Pakistan-India peace process, according to Pakistani Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid.

“Living in the same region and with a common history, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained dialogue process”, it said, adding, “The challenge of terrorism calls for strengthening our resolve to a cooperative approach”.

Earlier, the premier had stopped his ministers from giving provocative or anti-India statements to maintain the cosy environment.

The phone call from Sharif came as the Pakistan link to the attack became clear. And we continue to engage with the government of Pakistan to that end.

“There are direct and back-channel contacts and we have told them extremists won’t dictate the policy towards India”, he told The Nation.

Sharif and Modi also discussed other strategic issues, it added. The call from Sharif though will provide some breathing space to Doval, who scripted the breakthrough with Janjua in Bangkok, and Modi himself who backed the resumption of dialogue with his own personalized diplomacy in the form of his “drop by” in Lahore, the first by an Indian PM in 12 years.