Close X
Sunday, November 17, 2024
ADVT 
India

Pakistani Probe Team 'Already' In India

Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 Feb, 2016 11:52 AM
    The Pakistani probe team has already arrived in India to probe the Pathankot airbase attack in Punjab, an official said.
     
    Punjab counter-terrorism department chief Muhammad Tahir Rai, who heads the high-powered Joint Investigation Team (JIT), has reached India along with some other officials, The Nation quoted a senior official as saying on Thursday.
     
    A JIT formed on the orders of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formally started working last week, and its first meeting was convened in Lahore to discuss the case in detail, the report said.
     
    The Punjab province home department on Thursday also re-notified the JIT, ordering the investigators to submit the interim probe report to the court within two weeks.
     
    It was not clear if there was any change or the new notification retained the same members as that of the earlier JIT, which was constituted by the interior ministry in mid-January.
     
    A provincial government official confirmed that Tahir Rai, who is additional inspector general of police, has arrived in India and this move is being kept secret on both sides of the border.
     
    "What I can confirm is that Rai is in India right now. We can't tell how many officials accompany him," the official said on the request of anonymity.
     
    The official did not comment on the day the team left for India to probe the attack and for how many days it would be there.
     
    Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), a Pakistani militant outfit, was responsible for the attack on the airbase in Pathankot town on January 2.
     
    As many as seven security personnel were killed in the attack. The security forces also killed all six terrorists in over three days' operation.
     
    New Delhi said the fate of 'comprehensive dialogue process' -- started by both the countries recently to improve India-Pakistan ties -- depended on Islamabad's action against the perpetrators of the attack.
     
    Pakistan registered a case on the basis of leads provided by India and formed an investigation team comprising high-ranking officials of police and intelligence agencies.
     
    The counter-terrorism department (CTD) of Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday lodged a case against six "non-state actors" for plotting the attack.
     
    Official sources in the Punjab home department said the JIT members during their visit to India would collect facts about the Pathankot attack.
     
    However, no information was provided weather the investigators was allowed to visit the Indian airbase as earlier New Delhi denied the team access to the airbase.
     
    One official said the team would also discuss modalities for carrying out joint investigations with their Indian counterparts.
     
    "Although no timeframe has been given to complete the probe, it is expected that the team will complete the investigations within 15 days," another official said.
     
    "If the probe remains incomplete after two weeks, the JIT may seek more time from the court since it is a matter of criminal procedure code."
     
    Earlier, four suspects were detained in connection with the phone numbers mentioned in the first information report.
     
    The investigators were examining the SIM registration and call data of the numbers. The mobile phone companies were asked to provide details of the persons using those phone numbers.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Sunanda Pushkar Murder Mystery: Tharoor may be questioned soon

    Sunanda Pushkar Murder Mystery: Tharoor may be questioned soon
    Congress MP Shashi Tharoor may be questioned soon in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar's murder, Delhi Police chief B.S. Bassi said Monday....

    Sunanda Pushkar Murder Mystery: Tharoor may be questioned soon

    Enable voting by NRIs in eight weeks, SC tells government

    Enable voting by NRIs in eight weeks, SC tells government
    The Supreme Court Monday asked the government to take steps, within eight weeks, for implementation of e-voting by NRIs after being told the government...

    Enable voting by NRIs in eight weeks, SC tells government

    Delhi election battle Feb 7, result Feb 10

    Delhi election battle Feb 7, result Feb 10
    A year after Arvind Kejriwal resigned as chief minister leading to President's rule, Delhi will elect a new assembly Feb 7 and the results will be known Feb 10, it was announced Monday....

    Delhi election battle Feb 7, result Feb 10

    India, US keen to have 'excellent outcomes' from Obama visit

    India, US keen to have 'excellent outcomes' from Obama visit
    With a fortnight left for US President Barack Obama's visit, India Monday said it was looking forward with great enthusiasm to the "landmark" visit and both...

    India, US keen to have 'excellent outcomes' from Obama visit

    Gujarat a cultural crossover to the world: Ban Ki-moon

    Gujarat a cultural crossover to the world: Ban Ki-moon
    UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Sunday said Gujarat could also be a crossroad for a new era of sustainable development while it has long been a cultural crossover to the world.

    Gujarat a cultural crossover to the world: Ban Ki-moon

    Shashi Tharoor in Delhi, likely to be questioned over Sunanda murder

    Shashi Tharoor in Delhi, likely to be questioned over Sunanda murder
    Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Sunday reached the national capital and is likely to be questioned by Delhi Police in connection with his wife Sunanda Pushkar's murder.

    Shashi Tharoor in Delhi, likely to be questioned over Sunanda murder