Pak backtracks after getting NIA evidence on Pathankot

Pakistan has backtracked from its promise of allowing a team of Indian investigators to visit the country to probe the Pathankot terror attack case. Official sources said that it comes apparently after finding that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has enough evidence to nail Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) links with the terrorists involved in it.

The NIA had given Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT), during its five-day trip to India, critical evidence on Pakistani handlers of the terrorists, who carried out the January 2 attack on the strategic airbase.

The JIT was given full transcript of the telephonic conversations between the terrorists and their Pakistani handlers along with their identity, the sources said. The NIA gave to JIT the links of Pakistani officials, believed to be ISI personnel, with the handlers of the terrorists, the sources said.

The NIA also provided the JIT with electronic and forensic evidence regarding the slain terrorists’ Pakistani link.

The Pakistani team was given concrete proof that Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar’s brother Abdul Rauf was in constant touch with the terrorists and giving them necessary instructions during the three-day carnage.

Rejecting Pakistani envoy’s comment on an NIA team’s visit to the country, MoS for Home Kiren Rijiju on Friday said such statements would not help in improving relations between the two countries. “We reject the statement given by the Pakistan High Commissioner. What he has said is wrong. It will not help in improving relations between the two countries,” he said. Rijiju’s remarks come a day after Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit indicated that Indian investigators may not be allowed to visit Pakistan to pursue the probe in connection with the Pathankot terror attack.