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Pathankot attack: Pakistan reiterates support to India on probe

Aziz, said “We are investigating the Pathankot incident while the foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan are intact”, he said at a function in Lahore.

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“World will see our effectiveness and sincerity in this regard”, Sharif was quoted as telling the U.S. Secretary of State.

Referring to the outpouring of support for India among the U.S. lawmakers in the aftermath of the Pathankot attack, the officials indicated that in the absence of a concrete action by Pakistan against these terrorist groups, it would be a tough call for the Obama Administration to push for any new military aid for Pakistan to through the Congress. “We understand this is a challenging time”.

Modi’s visit to the base on Saturday comes amid an ongoing investigation by India’s National Investigation Agency into the circumstances of the attack.

Air Force Chief Arup Raha and National Security Guard officials briefed the prime minister about the attack and the counter-offensive launched against the perpetrators.

It remains unclear how the attackers infiltrated the fortified base, which has a 24-km (15-mile) perimeter surrounded by a 3-metre (10-foot) wall topped with concertina wire. “They are our pride”, another tweet said.

Reportedly, PM Modi also held a meeting with senior Air Force officials, Army officials, BSF and Punjab police officials before going for aerial survey of the border on army’s attack choppers.

The combing operation began after the six Pakistani terrorists, believed to be from the Jaish-e-Mohammed, were neutralised in a four-day gunfight. These countries, sources said, have promised India that they would take up the matter with Pakistani officials.

At a second high-level meeting on Friday, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated his country’s commitment to cooperate with India on investigating the attack.

India had earlier shared leads with Islamabad which mostly included intercepts of telephone calls made by the terrorists to their alleged handlers and the locations of the numbers which they had called in Pakistan.

After the Pathankot air base assault, Sharif referred to as Modi assuring him of “immediate and decisive” motion towards teams or people linked to the assault.

The United States on Saturday said that continuation of India-Pakistan peace talks is in the best interest of the regional stability, Radio Pakistan reported.

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The base was kept out of bounds for the media.

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