He said the terrorists were carrying 40-50 kgs of bullets, mortars, which were fired from modified Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher besides some magazines. “Not just the strategic assets but even a building”.
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Indian officials had been warned beforehand that an attack could be imminent at the Pathankot base, and had flown commandoes there in case of trouble. “It would be better if they postpone it for some more time and find out the details of these operations and then go to the talks”, he added.
“They have got initial leads, where they have come from, how they have come”.
“He should have taken opposition parties into confidence before taking such a step”, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said when asked about Nawaz Sharif calling up Prime Minister Modi to give assurance that they would act against those responsible for Pathankot attack.
The terrorist attack on the Indian Air Force base in Punjab’s Pathankot town left at least seven security personnel and six terrorists killed.
Sharif “assured Prime Minister Modi that his government would take prompt and decisive action against the terrorists”, the PMO said. “His warm embrace of Modi on Christmas Day in his home in Lahore undoubtedly angered the generals”, he said. The Foreign Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan scheduled for January 14-15 in Islamabad looks in jeopardy in the wake of the Pathankot attack. “Pakistan has nothing to do with the attack but ironically the Indian government, media and their armed forces are suffering from Pakistanphobia”, added the UJC spokesman.
Sharif also told Modi that the militants wanted to derail the Pakistan-India peace process, according to Pakistani Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid. The sudden attack in Pathankot seems to have reversed the situation; everything seems to have returned to “normal” as far as relations with Pakistan are concerned.
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Two days later, Sushma Swaraj landed in Islamabad to attend the Heart of Asia conference on Afghanistan.
