After weeks of dilly-dallying, Pakistani authorities finally lodged an FIR against “unknown persons” in connection with the Pathankot airbase terror attack, on Friday. However, the FIR did not mention the names of Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) or its chief Masood Azhar, accused by India of plotting the strike.
The FIR, which looks like an eyewash, was filed with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Gujranwala, Punjab province on Thursday. It was lodged on the basis of information provided by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval that four militants probably crossed from Pakistan into India and attacked the airbase on January 2.
Despite specific information given by India, the FIR only mentions five phone numbers given by Doval on which calls were made from India by the terrorists during the attack. It also registered the fact that the NSA had said the attackers belonged to a proscribed organisation, but did not name the JeM. India had identified Azhar as the mastermind of the attack and blamed his brother Rauf and five others for carrying out the operation.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Inspector-General of Punjab’s CTD Rai Tahir to probe India’s assertion that JeM was behind the attack. The FIR has reportedly been registered on the recommendations of the SIT.
The Pathankot terror attack in January halted the momentum gained by India-Pakistan for resuming bilateral talks following meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart in Paris and lahore. The Foreign Secretary-level talks had to be postponed due to pressure on the Indian Government to seek substantive action from Pakistan to book the perpetrators of the attack.
Unwilling to let the Pathankot case go the Mumbai terror attack way, India used the growing warmth in the relationship to pressurise Pakistan to first act against the terrorists and prepare conducive ground for the talks. This FIR now opens the road for Foreign Secretary-level talks.
Meanwhile, according to a CTD official, the FIR was needed to start police and judicial proceedings on the basis of evidence collected in connection with the attack.
FIR Number 06/2016 was lodged under Sections 302, 324 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and Sections 7 and 21-I of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Pakistan’s Punjab province law Minister Rana Sanaullah said India will be asked for more information after the registration of the FIR. Sanaullah told reporters in lahore that the FIR shows Pakistan’s “commitment” to fight militancy. “We will seek more information from India,” he said and added anyone including Azhar, if found guilty of involvement in the attack will be prosecuted.
“No one becomes guilty by naming him. I don’t want to name anyone at this stage. let the probe be completed and if Masood Azhar was involved, action will be taken,” Sanaullah said. He also urged India to provide any evidence it has on Azhar or anyone else’s involvement in the attack. Sanaullah said that a new Joint Investigation Team (JIT) will be formed after the FIR for further investigation.
The Minister said the SIT formed on the orders of the Prime Minister was for initial investigation. However, he did not clarify if the SIT would be dissolved or converted into the JIT, or a team comprising of new members will be formed. “The entire world and also India should acknowledge our seriousness in rooting out militancy from the region. India, especially, should not doubt our resolve and honesty,” he said.
Sanaullah acknowledged that it was first time that an FIR was registered on the compliant of a top Indian official. “I think militancy can be eliminated from this region if India and Pakistan are on the same page,” he said. According to Intelligence officials, about a dozen suspects were arrested in Pakistan following the attack.