Addressing reporters at the Pathankot air base near the border with Pakistan, Parrikar said Indian security forces “have done an excellent job containing these highly motivated terrorists”.
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Seven security personnel, including an officer of the National Security Guard (NSG), an IAF Garud commando and five Defence Services Corps (DSC) personnel, were killed by the terrorists in Saturday’s pre-dawn attack.
A senior External Affairs Ministry official said that a powerful explosion, which shook a double-storeyed building at the air base on Monday morning, indicated that two terrorists might have been hiding in Pathankot. “We know the country should speak in one voice on such a sensitive matter but we need answers to some vital questions”, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said.
Pakistani officials confirmed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had spoken to Modi, expressing his sadness over the attack and saying Pakistan would investigate any information that India provides. “Look what followed. It is the courageous efforts of our soldiers that the attackers were neutralized, otherwise the loss could have been more”, he added.
“Gen Raheel Sharif, the army’s boss, got a warm embrace from the Pentagon last fall despite the ISI support for the Afghan Taliban’s offensive against the Kabul government and despite the Pakistani military’s backing of terror groups like JeM”, he said.
“As I highlighted earlier, given the magnitude of the operation of the air base, the operation will continue to be concluded till we are able to fully render safe the base. And the Government of Pakistan has spoken to this, has spoken very powerfully to this, and it’s certainly our expectation that they’ll do exactly what – they’ll treat this exactly the way they’ve said they will”, he said. The statement said specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan.
The Pathankot Air Force Station, where a MIG-21 Bison squadron and MI-35 attack helicopters are based, is spread over 1,900 acres.
According to sources, the decision to go ahead with the talks now hinges on whether the Nawaz Sharif government “cooperates” with the Indian authorities in the aftermath of the attack.
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In a Twitter post, Delhi’s police commissioner B.S. Bassi advised residents to immediately report suspicious activity, people and objects to authorities.
