IANS
PATHANKOT, JANUARY 9
Brushing aside criticism over the handling of the counter-offensive againt the terrorist attack on the Pathankot IAF base, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flew in here on Saturday, a week after the attack, said that he was satisfied with the “decision-making and its execution”.
“Noted with satisfaction the decision-making & its execution, the considerations that went into our tactical response,” Modi tweeted through his PMO India Twitter handle.
The prime minister, who arrived here on Saturday morning, was briefed by senior defence and security officers about the terrorist attack, carried out by suspected Pakistani terrorists, on the Pathankot Air Force Station (AFS).
Soon after landing at the air base, targetted exactly a week ago in a pre-dawn attack, Modi met senior Indian Air Force (IAF) and army officers.
Modi was accompanied by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. The Indian Army chief, General Dalbir Singh, and the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha were also present at the air base during the visit.
“Visited Pathankot air base today. Had a detailed briefing from senior leadership of Army, Air Force, NSG & BSF,” Modi tweeted.
“Was briefed in great detail on how our forces neutralised such a serious terrorist attack,” he said.
“Also noted coordination among various field units. Lauded bravery & determination of our men & women on the ground. They are our pride,” he added.
Tight security arrangements were in place for the prime minister’s visit. No one was allowed to enter the area near the Air Force Station (AFS), located 250 km from Chandigarh.
The prime minister was taken around the air base by the defence and security officers.
Since the base is a frontline and sensitive one, no live telecast of the visit was allowed. The media were kept away from the air base.
Six terrorists and seven security personnel were killed in the attack.
Security forces repulsed the attack and the terrorists were unable to harm any of the IAF’s critical assets, including fighter aircraft and attack helicopters.
Pakistan needs concrete evidence from India
Pakistan needs concrete evidence from India for acting against the elements involved in the terror attack at the Pathankot air base in Punjab, a media report said on Saturday.
“We are expecting evidence beyond leads and information to proceed as per our law,” Dawn online quoted a senior official as saying.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday chaired a meeting of security aides on the Pathankot attack and Pakistan’s response on it.
The official’s comments provided an insight into Pakistan’s planned response to India on the shared leads about the attack.
The information include intercepts of telephone calls made by the militants to their handlers, and the locations of the numbers which they had called in Pakistan.
Sharif, who had telephoned his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, assured him of “prompt and decisive action” against those found guilty.
Militant organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad was behind the attack, Indian officials said.
Modi, during his telephonic conversation with Sharif, stressed the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against “the organisation and individuals” responsible for the attack.
According to reports, the meeting reviewed the “progress on the information shared by India” and decided to continue discussing the matter with Indian authorities.
The foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will here on January 15, Sartaj Aziz, the prime minister’s advisor on foreign affairs, has said.
Kashmir and all other outstanding issues will be on the agenda when Pakistan and India resume their comprehensive bilateral dialogue, Aziz said in the parliament on Friday.
The announcement came after Pakistan launched investigations into the Pathankot airbase attack, The Nation reported.
India had linked the foreign secretary level talks to Pakistan’s action against the militants.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday chaired a meeting regarding Jaish-e-Muhammad organisation’s involvement in the attack and Islamabad’s response to New Delhi.
After the Pathankot air base attack, Sharif called Modi assuring him of “prompt and decisive” action against groups or individuals linked to the attack.
Seven security personnel were killed in the attack on the IAF base in Pathankot. Six terrorists, suspected to be from Pakistan, were killed during the gunfight that began on January 2.
Pakistan and India will remain in contact as Islamabad believes it needed solid evidence for a stern action.
Aziz told the house that the foreign secretaries of both the countries would discuss modalities of comprehensive bilateral dialogue and its timeframe during the meeting in Islamabad.
“As per the joint statement issued during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Pakistan, the comprehensive dialogue would include all outstanding issues including the Kashmir dispute,” he said.
