Sources maintained the “hard evidence” tabled by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to the visiting Joint Investigating Team (JIT) during their five-day stay in India had left then “surprised”.
The evidence was proof of the “Pakistani connections of the terrorists” – those who attacked the Pathankot airbase on January 2, the sources said, adding: “They realise that their game is up. The abrupt turn around on allowing an NIA team to visit Pakistan could be the result of this.”
Indian intelligence agencies told IANS that Pakistan has suffered a diplomatic reverse during last couple weeks even their friendly nations like Saudi Arabia have lately started leaning towards New Delhi. India-Saudi Arabia last week, tactical ties got a boost through the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
On Friday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval took stock of the situation in what they called a “routine” assembly.
Seeking to blow off the meeting as “routine”, the sources said: “The meeting between Home Minister Rajnath Singh and NSA Doval is nothing unusual. The assembly, attended by senior officials from related security agencies, discussed the turn around among other issues in Pakistan.
“The dilemma of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar also figured,” the source said, referring to the existing unrest at the institute.
Pakistan High Commissioner Basit on Thursday told journalists here that the continuing peace talks between both states would continue “frozen” and that “the investigation (into the Pathankot strike) isn’t about reciprocity”.
Sources said NIA officials had names of the terrorists, evidence like transcript of telephonic conversations as well as other electronic and proofs that are forensic including against Jaish-e -Mohammed leader Masood Azhar’s brother Abdul Rauf.
On March 30, NIA spokesman Sanjeev Kumar had said that both sides had “agreed” the sort of alliance India had provided to the Pakistani Joint Investigation Team would be reciprocated.
“Reciprocal trips were agreed to” Kumar had told reporters.
India’s goal to get similar accessibility in Pakistan to pursue the probe into the Pathankot terror strike was suggested by the comments.
India continues to maintain that the attack was masterminded by JeM chief Azhar, against whom an arrest warrant was issued by an NIA court in Mohali on Friday.
The terrorists who killed seven Indian security employees at the base ended up getting killed after an 80-hour gun battle.
(IANS)
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