Shaurya Karanbir Gurung

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 1

Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has promised the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to take action against anyone linked to the Pathankot IAF base attack if evidence is provided. After the assurance, the Indian agency has given “credible” inputs to the JIT on the involvement of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar.The NIA sleuths also told the JIT they would like to visit Pakistan to carry forward the investigation. “The dates will be worked out later,” said NIA Director General Sharad Kumar at the end of five days of discussions with JIT, which returned to Pakistan today.He said the agency had presented the JIT with “concrete evidence” against the JeM bosses who conspired in the attack and the handlers of the terrorists.Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the result of the JIT visit was “positive” and it had “not contradicted our findings”. He, however, said no date had been fixed for an Indian team’s visit. On March 28, when the talks began, NIA had shown the JIT intercepts of conversations between the slain terrorists and Azhar, his brother Rauf Asgar and their handler.

Idea ‘welcomed’

• They (Pak) welcomed the idea (of NIA visit) and dates will be worked out later— Sharad Kumar, NIA Director General