The new evidence shared with the Pakistan National Security Advisor (NSA) includes transcript and picture of Markaz where all planning was done.
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“India has been facing these terror strikes primarily because the then BJP external affairs minister (Jaswant Singh) escorted dreaded terrorists, including Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, to Kandahar, during the hijack drama”, Shinde said.
The Indian government official earlier said security forces had killed four of the attackers, adding that one was believed to be holed up in the facility.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also said Tuesday that no military hardware was damaged in the fighting at the Pathankot base, which has a fleet of India’s Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters. She also lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making an unscheduled visit to Pakistan last month, saying that the BJP had given a reason for Congress to attack them.
In a statement the Pakistan government said it was working on “leads” provided by India and called for both sides to remain committed to dialogue.
Pakistan had already condemned the attack, which began on Saturday with a dawn raid on the vast air base that triggered a 14-hour gunbattle.
“Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that “some elements” want to “sabotage” the Indo-Pak peace talks through terror acts but they will not succeed in their nefarious designs”.
Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Shinde said Modi used to say that UPA ministers were serving Biryani to Pakistani leaders but what is happening now.
“Several incidents took place after that, whether it is the Red Fort, attack on J-K assembly or attack on Parliament”.
“Through timely and prompt action by all agencies, the likely plan of the terrorists to destroy valuable assets of the Air Force has been foiled”, the Indian Defense Ministry had said in a statement at the time.
“I see some gaps (in intelligence) but we will be able to understand only after the investigation”.
“Why did it take Nawaz Sharif five days to call Modi over Pathankot attack? he asked”.
“When they had intelligence inputs beforehand, they should have cordoned off the airbase”, he said.
“We had extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan but we will not countenance cross-border terrorist attacks”. “Those who claimed to teach Pakistan a lesson, why are they going soft”.
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The BSF will deploy around 2,000 additional personnel along the Punjab and Jammu borders in order to plug unfenced riverine and forest gaps even as it submitted a fresh report to the government today stating there was no evidence of infiltration along the IB in the wake of the terrorist attack on the IAF base in Pathankot.
