Thursday, June 11, 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

    After AAP and BJP, Delhi Congress to tap Social Media

    After AAP and BJP, Delhi Congress to tap Social Media
    The Congress' Delhi unit, which has so far overlooked the power of the social media, will finally launch its IT cell to drum up support ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

    After AAP and BJP, Delhi Congress to tap Social Media

    Akalis can breathe easy: Arun Jaitley ends Sidhu's Punjab politics for now

    Akalis can breathe easy: Arun Jaitley ends Sidhu's Punjab politics for now
    Having been involved in a war of words with BJP's Amritsar MP Navjot Singh Sidhu in recent times, they may not have to bear with "Sidhuisms" for some time as the party has now announced Arun Jaitley as its candidate from the seat

    Akalis can breathe easy: Arun Jaitley ends Sidhu's Punjab politics for now

    Holi Special: For Safe Holi, Make Natural Colours At Home

    Holi Special: For Safe Holi, Make Natural Colours At Home
    The best bet for an affordable yet safe Holi is to make the colours at home using natural ingredients like flowers, fruits and vegetables.

    Holi Special: For Safe Holi, Make Natural Colours At Home

    Clash Of The Titans: Arvind Kejriwal ready to fight Narendra Modi

    Clash Of The Titans: Arvind Kejriwal ready to fight Narendra Modi
    A day after the BJP fielded Narendra Modi as its candidate from Varanasi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal Sunday declared that he was ready to contest against the BJP's prime ministerial candidate in the Lok Sabha polls.

    Clash Of The Titans: Arvind Kejriwal ready to fight Narendra Modi

    Election Special: Should the media not applaud Kejriwal's anti corruption plank?

    Election Special: Should the media not applaud Kejriwal's anti corruption plank?
    It is true that every anti corruption movement in recent history has decisively shifted the centre of gravity of Indian politics yards to the right, as writers have asserted recently. Such campaigns have always had considerable media support

    Election Special: Should the media not applaud Kejriwal's anti corruption plank?

    Narendra Modi to contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi

    Narendra Modi to contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi
    BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi, while party president Rajnath Singh will now fight from Lucknow, the BJP announced Saturday.

    Narendra Modi to contest Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi