Indian security personnel stand guard inside the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot in Punjab. PHOTO: REUTERS
Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sharad Kumar has said the agency did not find any evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the Pathankot attack.
"No evidence to show Pakistan government or Pakistani government agency was helping Jaish–e–Mohammed, Masood Azhar or his aides carryout the Pathankot attack," Kumar said while speaking to News18.
#BREAKING 'No evidence of Pak govt or Pak govt agency complicity in Pathankot attack' NIA DG to CNN-News18. https://t.co/tkFwTzYKyF
— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 2, 2016
Seven Indian troops had died in the attack, which India later claimed, was carried out by four operatives of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group and their ‘handlers’ in Pakistan.
Pathankot attack: JIT winds up probe in India
When asked if the investigating authorities found an inside hand in the attack, Kumar said, “Investigation so far does not point to any inside hand.”
The NIA head added his country had carried out complete investigation in India and now he would wait to visit Pakistan for further probe.
New Delhi under fire over Pathankot lapse
Pakistan has been denying Indian allegation and following the attack launched a crackdown against the JeM.
It also formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) which visited the Indian airbase in March to probe the involvement of JeM in the attack.
DG NIA’s statements vindicates Pakistan’s position: FO
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said the recent statement by the DG NIA had vindicated Pakistan’s long-standing stance on the matter of Pathankot incident.
“Pakistan’s spirit of cooperation is manifested in the action we took in the wake of the alleged incident,” he said.
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 2, 2016
Pakistan believes in peaceful co-existence with neighbouring countries in the region, added Zakaria.
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