Parrikar did not explain how just a handful of gunmen managed to paralyze a large Indian air base for nearly four days, insisting that security forces had done “a commendable job”.
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Pakistan on its part has insisted that it is not involved, and as a gesture of good faith is prepared to take immediate action on the basis of any information that India brings to the table.
“In line with Pakistan’s commitment to effectively counter and eradicate terrorism, the Government is in touch with the Indian government and is working on the leads provided by it”, Pakistan Foreign Ministry said in statement. Indian security forces say they have killed five attackers, the fifth on Monday, and believe one remains on Pathankot air force base’s sprawling premises. Kirby has now made it very clear that there is no alternative to talks even after the terror attack.
The base was hit in a dawn raid Saturday that triggered a 14-hour gunbattle and there was more firing Sunday.
Asked if there was a link between the two attacks, he said it was too early to say anything. “Operations will continue to be conducted until we can render the base fully safe”, said Singh.
“So this is a shared challenge that we all face in the region and we in the United States want everybody to treat it as a shared challenge”, Kirby said, adding that the USA has strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Punjab’s Pathankot. Jaitley informed that the security forces were able to confine the terrorists to the place where they intruded and kept at a “reasonable distance” from where the assets were located. Extending Pakistan’s deepest condolences to the Government and people of India on the “unfortunate terrorist incident” in Pathankot, a statement by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “We understand the pain of many families who have lost their dear ones in this tragedy, as Pakistan itself is a major victim of terrorism”.
But gunfire could still be heard at the base on the third day of operations.
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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday slammed the Congress Party for criticising the ruling dispensation on the terror attack at Pathankot air base, saying the age old party needs to stop politicising terror. Seven soldiers, including a lieutenant-colonel in the NSG, were killed and 20 injured in the assault.
