And is peace between the two nations a non-starter? At least twice it appeared that the attack had ended, but fresh gunfire and explosions erupted both times.
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A talk between Foreign Secretaries of both the country which was supposedly held on January 14 and 15 was kept on hold due to the terror attack and the decision will likely to come in few days.
The Sharif-Modi telephonic conversation followed the killing of all six terrorists believed to be from Pakistan after they attacked the Indian Air Force base early on Saturday, leaving seven security personnel dead.
Questioning NDA government’s “inconsistent” Pakistan policy, AAP today attacked the Narendra Modi-led dispensation over the Pathankot attack and asked why the government could not avert loss of soldiers’ lives when it had “pinpointed” information about the plot.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday called up his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi regarding the terror attack on the Pathankot Indian Air Force base and assured that prompt and decisive action will be taken against the terrorists involved, an official statement here said.
Intelligence officials based in the National Capital as well as Jammu and Kashmir seemed to be divided when asked to share prima facie findings on the Pathankot air base attack.
The Pathankot air force base extends over about 2,000 acres, including some areas covered with tall vegetation.
The base has a fleet of India’s Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets and Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters, along with other military hardware.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack that started Saturday morning, but Sharad Kumar, chief of India’s National Investigation Agency, said a preliminary investigation based on telephone intercepts suggested the attackers were from Pakistan. Seven security personnel, one civilian and six militants were killed, authorities said.
The council, based in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, is headed by Syed Salahuddin who also leads Hizb-ul Mujahidin, the longest surviving Kashmiri militant group. And we continue to engage with the government of Pakistan to that end. India without delay “should provide an opportunity to the people of Kashmir to decide their future”, Hussain said.
“Security at every defence establishment will be evaluated”, the official said.
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India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the insurgents, a charge Islamabad denies, and the attack is being viewed as a possible attempt to unravel recent progress in their relationship. In the past, when it was in opposition, Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party was a vocal critic of engagement with Pakistan.
