Parl panel makes scathing remarks over MHA’s security lapses

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs made scathing remarks against the Home Ministry over alleged security lapses despite actionable intelligence inputs at Pathankot Air Base on Sunday.

Mentioning the matter in the chapter six of the report, the Parliamentary Committee has questioned the ‘security preparedness’ to prevent Pathankot terror attack. The report asked the ministry as to how the terrorists managed to breach the high security air base despite terror alert having been sounded well in advance.

However, the ministry rejected the suggestion, the MHA replied, “On the basis of the intelligence, a meeting of senior officers was held by the Central Government, immediately. Consequent to the meeting, the Army Units were mobilised, Air Force Commando Guards were flown along with Air Officer Commander in Chief, Western Command and NSG was airlifted to the most possible target of terror attack, the Air Force Station, Pathankot, by the evening of 1st January, 2016.”

Adding further it said, “As a precautionary measure, high value air assets were moved away from the Airbase. Subsequently, Army also inducted Special Forces (1 Para) Bomb Disposal Units and other specialized equipment.”

Making a scathing attack on the government, the report also mentioned that, “Something is seriously wrong with our counter-terror security establishment. Despite the fencing, floodlighting and patrolling by BSF Personnel, Pakistani terrorists managed to sneak into India from across the border.”

The committee and the NIA also differed about the role of the then Pathankot SP Salwinder Singh. While the NIA, India Today has learnt, is all set to give clean chit to the Punjab Police officer, the Parliamentary Committee found his role ‘very questionable and suspicious’.

The committee also expressed surprised at Pakistani joint-investigation team visiting Pathankot to inspect the spot of terror attack.