India on Friday denied that National Investigation Agency chief Sharad Kumar had absolved Pakistan of any involvement in Pathankot terror attack while adding that a response and information is still awaited from Pak side on its JIT’s investigations. The Indian Government has said that there are several evidences that prove Pak involvement in terror attacks in India and it is only waiting for them to take action against the perpetrators.
Referring to a written interview given to a TV channel by the NIA Director General Kumar, the NIA refuted he had said that there was “no evidence to show that Pakistan Government or Pakistani Government agency was helping Jaish-e- Mohammed (JeM) or Masood Azhar or his aides carry out Pathankot attack.” The NIA in a statement said his statement has been misquoted.
Islamabad, however, while reacting to the TV news on Thursday said NIA DG remarks “vindicated” its long standing position in this regard.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the involvement of Pakistan’s nationals in the Pathankot Air Base attack is an accepted fact and it has ample evidence to prove that. “I would remind you that investigations are ongoing. Foreign Secretary had conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart when they met in New Delhi in April that it was time for review of progress in investigation in the attack after return of Pakistan’s JIT, which had gathered all evidence that it had wanted when it visited India,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said in a statement.
He added enough information has also been provided to Pakistani authorities through two letters Rogatory (lR) to conduct investigation in Pakistan so that all those associated in Pakistan with planning, support and execution of the attack are brought to justice. “At this stage, we await further response and information from Pakistan. It would be injudicious to speculate in this situation,” Swarup said.
With no reply coming from Pak on the lRs, the NIA has sent a fresh request for a visit to Pakistan to carry forward its investigation into the Pathankot terror case.