Nawaz assures Modi of ‘prompt, decisive’ action
Indian NSA shared ‘crucial information’ with Pakistani counterpart, says New Delhi
Indian NSA shared ‘crucial information’ with Pakistani counterpart, says New Delhi. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI:
Pakistan has assured India it will take ‘prompt and decisive’ action against groups and individuals who might be linked to the brazen attack on the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot. The assurance came from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a telephone conversation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday, according to separate statements issued by the two sides.
Nawaz, who is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka, called Modi hours after over 80-hour-long siege of the base ended with all six attackers killed. According to India’s External Affairs Ministry, PM Modi received a call from his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif regarding the assault.
Modi urges Pakistan to take 'immediate action' after base attack
It said Modi strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot attack. “Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan,” the Indian statement further said. It added that PM Nawaz assured Modi his government would take prompt and decisive action against terrorists.
The two prime ministers spoke after Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Lt Gen (retd) Naseer Khan Janjua to share ‘crucial information’ regarding the attack. A day earlier, the Foreign Office said Islamabad was working on the ‘leads’ provided by the Indian government.
Indian media claimed all the six attackers had sneaked in from across the border and were members of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad militant group, though an umbrella of Kashmiri militant groups, United Jihad Council, claimed responsibility on Monday.
The Indian government, however, officially has neither directly blamed Pakistan nor said anything as to who was the mastermind.
Pathankot attack: Indian mulls options on planned Pakistan talks
Premier Nawaz appreciated the ‘maturity’ shown by the Indian government in its statements on the Pathankot incident, his office said in a statement. “Our government is working on the leads and information provided by the Indian government,” Nawaz told Modi.
He pointed out that terrorists always tried to derail the process whenever a serious effort to bring peace between the two countries was initiated.
The two prime ministers agreed that a cordial and cooperative relationship between the two countries would be the most appropriate response to the nefarious designs of terrorists, the statement added. Nawaz also conveyed his sadness and grief over the loss of lives in the Pathankot terrorist attack.
The Modi-Nawaz contact suggested the two countries were still keen to keep the fragile peace process intact. Pakistani officials hoped the planned meeting between the two foreign secretaries would go ahead. But Indian media reports claimed the fate of the foreign secretary-level talks hinges on tangible actions, which Pakistan has promised to take against alleged perpetrators of the Pathankot attack.
Sources said the two national security advisers would remain in touch with each other to assess progress in this regard.
Pathankot air base attack: Pakistan working on Indian ‘leads’
Operation ended
Earlier Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the actual operation to hunt down militants at the Pathankot base had ended with the discovery of six badly burnt bodies that carried irrefutable evidence of being Pakistani. He said combing operations to destroy and defuse explosives would continue.
Parrikar conceded there had been lapses in the operation but blamed the size and terrain of the base for this. He was clear that he was speaking only on behalf of the defence services and would not comment either on the role of the state government or the National Security Guard (NSG) amid criticism that absence of command and control systems had led to a botched operation. He said the NSG was continuing to direct operations.
On why the Indian army had not taken a lead role in the operation, Parrikar said the army had no mandate to operate in civilian areas. A part of the air base was in civilian areas. Several foreigners undergoing training were also present at the base, as were 3,000 civilian families.
Parrikar said the NSG had worked out how the infiltrators entered, and what route they took. He said more facts would be available after an inquiry had been conducted. He also explained that the operation was on only for 36 hours, not 80-plus hours as claimed by many.
Parrikar said the NSG had worked out the route of ingress of the militants and would take steps to block them.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.
Pakistan has assured India it will take ‘prompt and decisive’ action against groups and individuals who might be linked to the brazen attack on the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot. The assurance came from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during a telephone conversation with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Tuesday, according to separate statements issued by the two sides.
Nawaz, who is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka, called Modi hours after over 80-hour-long siege of the base ended with all six attackers killed. According to India’s External Affairs Ministry, PM Modi received a call from his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif regarding the assault.
Modi urges Pakistan to take 'immediate action' after base attack
It said Modi strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot attack. “Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan,” the Indian statement further said. It added that PM Nawaz assured Modi his government would take prompt and decisive action against terrorists.
The two prime ministers spoke after Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval telephoned his Pakistani counterpart Lt Gen (retd) Naseer Khan Janjua to share ‘crucial information’ regarding the attack. A day earlier, the Foreign Office said Islamabad was working on the ‘leads’ provided by the Indian government.
Indian media claimed all the six attackers had sneaked in from across the border and were members of the banned Jaish-e-Muhammad militant group, though an umbrella of Kashmiri militant groups, United Jihad Council, claimed responsibility on Monday.
The Indian government, however, officially has neither directly blamed Pakistan nor said anything as to who was the mastermind.
Pathankot attack: Indian mulls options on planned Pakistan talks
Premier Nawaz appreciated the ‘maturity’ shown by the Indian government in its statements on the Pathankot incident, his office said in a statement. “Our government is working on the leads and information provided by the Indian government,” Nawaz told Modi.
He pointed out that terrorists always tried to derail the process whenever a serious effort to bring peace between the two countries was initiated.
The two prime ministers agreed that a cordial and cooperative relationship between the two countries would be the most appropriate response to the nefarious designs of terrorists, the statement added. Nawaz also conveyed his sadness and grief over the loss of lives in the Pathankot terrorist attack.
The Modi-Nawaz contact suggested the two countries were still keen to keep the fragile peace process intact. Pakistani officials hoped the planned meeting between the two foreign secretaries would go ahead. But Indian media reports claimed the fate of the foreign secretary-level talks hinges on tangible actions, which Pakistan has promised to take against alleged perpetrators of the Pathankot attack.
Sources said the two national security advisers would remain in touch with each other to assess progress in this regard.
Pathankot air base attack: Pakistan working on Indian ‘leads’
Operation ended
Earlier Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the actual operation to hunt down militants at the Pathankot base had ended with the discovery of six badly burnt bodies that carried irrefutable evidence of being Pakistani. He said combing operations to destroy and defuse explosives would continue.
Parrikar conceded there had been lapses in the operation but blamed the size and terrain of the base for this. He was clear that he was speaking only on behalf of the defence services and would not comment either on the role of the state government or the National Security Guard (NSG) amid criticism that absence of command and control systems had led to a botched operation. He said the NSG was continuing to direct operations.
On why the Indian army had not taken a lead role in the operation, Parrikar said the army had no mandate to operate in civilian areas. A part of the air base was in civilian areas. Several foreigners undergoing training were also present at the base, as were 3,000 civilian families.
Parrikar said the NSG had worked out how the infiltrators entered, and what route they took. He said more facts would be available after an inquiry had been conducted. He also explained that the operation was on only for 36 hours, not 80-plus hours as claimed by many.
Parrikar said the NSG had worked out the route of ingress of the militants and would take steps to block them.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2016.