Wednesday, June 10, 2026
ADVT 
India

Pakistani Probe Team 'Already' In India

Darpan News Desk IANS, 26 Feb, 2016 11:52 AM
    The Pakistani probe team has already arrived in India to probe the Pathankot airbase attack in Punjab, an official said.
     
    Punjab counter-terrorism department chief Muhammad Tahir Rai, who heads the high-powered Joint Investigation Team (JIT), has reached India along with some other officials, The Nation quoted a senior official as saying on Thursday.
     
    A JIT formed on the orders of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif formally started working last week, and its first meeting was convened in Lahore to discuss the case in detail, the report said.
     
    The Punjab province home department on Thursday also re-notified the JIT, ordering the investigators to submit the interim probe report to the court within two weeks.
     
    It was not clear if there was any change or the new notification retained the same members as that of the earlier JIT, which was constituted by the interior ministry in mid-January.
     
    A provincial government official confirmed that Tahir Rai, who is additional inspector general of police, has arrived in India and this move is being kept secret on both sides of the border.
     
    "What I can confirm is that Rai is in India right now. We can't tell how many officials accompany him," the official said on the request of anonymity.
     
    The official did not comment on the day the team left for India to probe the attack and for how many days it would be there.
     
    Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), a Pakistani militant outfit, was responsible for the attack on the airbase in Pathankot town on January 2.
     
    As many as seven security personnel were killed in the attack. The security forces also killed all six terrorists in over three days' operation.
     
    New Delhi said the fate of 'comprehensive dialogue process' -- started by both the countries recently to improve India-Pakistan ties -- depended on Islamabad's action against the perpetrators of the attack.
     
    Pakistan registered a case on the basis of leads provided by India and formed an investigation team comprising high-ranking officials of police and intelligence agencies.
     
    The counter-terrorism department (CTD) of Pakistan's Punjab province on Thursday lodged a case against six "non-state actors" for plotting the attack.
     
    Official sources in the Punjab home department said the JIT members during their visit to India would collect facts about the Pathankot attack.
     
    However, no information was provided weather the investigators was allowed to visit the Indian airbase as earlier New Delhi denied the team access to the airbase.
     
    One official said the team would also discuss modalities for carrying out joint investigations with their Indian counterparts.
     
    "Although no timeframe has been given to complete the probe, it is expected that the team will complete the investigations within 15 days," another official said.
     
    "If the probe remains incomplete after two weeks, the JIT may seek more time from the court since it is a matter of criminal procedure code."
     
    Earlier, four suspects were detained in connection with the phone numbers mentioned in the first information report.
     
    The investigators were examining the SIM registration and call data of the numbers. The mobile phone companies were asked to provide details of the persons using those phone numbers.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Priyanka's comment about Smriti shows arrogance

    Priyanka's comment about Smriti shows arrogance
    BJP leader Arun Jaitley Monday said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's comment about Smriti Irani in Amethi showed her "arrogance at its worst".

    Priyanka's comment about Smriti shows arrogance

    Case against Ramdev for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs

    Case against Ramdev for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs
    In his complaint, Harpreet Singh said Ramdev had hurt religious sentiments of Sikhs after he was shown in a photograph at a yoga camp at Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district with a photograph of the 10th guru of the Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, placed near his feet.

    Case against Ramdev for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs

    In-Depth Narendra Modi Interview: I Am No Know-All Leader

    In-Depth Narendra Modi Interview: I Am No Know-All Leader
    Saying he was no know-all leader, BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has disclosed that he relied a lot on "professionals and domain experts" in governance and believed that the "single-minded focus" on attacking him was what "brought a lot of support from the people of India to me".

    In-Depth Narendra Modi Interview: I Am No Know-All Leader

    Amethi won't forgive Modi for insulting my father: Priyanka

    Amethi won't forgive Modi for insulting my father: Priyanka
    Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Monday attacked BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his speech in Amethi, saying he had insulted her "martyred" father Rajiv Gandhi and people of the constituency will not forgive him for this.

    Amethi won't forgive Modi for insulting my father: Priyanka

    EC can inquire into paid news allegations, says SC

    EC can inquire into paid news allegations, says SC
    The Supreme Court Monday said that the Election Commission was empowered to inquire into the allegation of paid news if the expenses for the same are not being reflected in the election return filed by the candidate.

    EC can inquire into paid news allegations, says SC

    Modi invokes Lord Ram at Faizabad

    Modi invokes Lord Ram at Faizabad
    BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi Monday invoked the name of Lord Ram in an election speech and urged the people to vote out the "corrupt and incompetent Congress government at the centre".

    Modi invokes Lord Ram at Faizabad