Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to visit under-attack airbase in Pathankot, today

The FO further said: “In line with Pakistan’s commitment to effectively counter and eradicate terrorism, the Government is in touch with the Indian government and is working on the leads provided by it”.

To a question she said that Pakistan and India are two important countries of the region and they need to work together on issues related to terrorism.

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making an unscheduled visit to Pkaistan to meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif, the Congress Party on Wednesday said that the former trusts “those on the other side of the border” more than his ministers.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) team also reached the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot today to begin its investigation of the three cases lodged in connection with the ongoing terror attack.

Security officials suspect the gunmen – five of whom were killed – belonged to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, the group that staged a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament which brought the two countries to the brink of war.

The attack sparked what CNN’s partner in India, CNN-IBN, described as a 15-hour gunfight at the base, which the network said houses fighter jets and attack helicopters. Parrikar said except the Garud commando, no one else was killed in direct operation.

“Having tea with Nawaz Sharif is Prime Minister Modi’s personal prerogative, but for that tea we have given seven of our fearless soldiers”.

“Living in the same region and with a common history, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained dialogue process”.

Parrikar also told the media after visiting the base that combing operations were still going on but “this is only for safety purposes” and that no more terrorists were believed hidden in the huge complex.

“I see some gaps (in intelligence) but we will be able to understand only after the investigation”. The fifth terrorist, according to the security forces, was killed on Monday. First Narendra Modi invites the Pakistan PM for his swearing in ceremony.

Struggling to contain a flare-up between Iran and Saudi Arabia that threatens to impair its West Asia strategy, the U.S is relieved that responses from both India and Pakistan after the terror strikes do not signal any immediate risk of relapse into hostilities in South Asia.