Jihadis may target Pakistan probe team: MHA

PATHANKOT: Pakistani officials who are in India to investigate the Pathankot terror strike are under threat from Islamic fundamentalist organizations based in Pakistan and their proxies in India. The Union ministry of home affairs has stated this in a note to Punjab Police and told them to provide extra protection to the joint investigation team ( JIT).

The note was sent after JIT members arrived in India, sparking a political storm over whether they should be given access to the airbase.

"The delegation would be vulnerable to threat from Islamist fundamentalist and militant outfits based in Pakistan and their proxies in India as the present political dispensation in Pakistan is perceived as closer to the United States of America by these groups," said the note. "Significantly, these groups and their collaborators have significant infrastructure and logistics to strike within India," the note added.

Following the note, Punjab Police made last-minute arrangements to provide a bulletproof Mitsubishi Montero and Toyota Fortuner to ferry the JIT members and NIA officials in Pathankot and areas close to the border.

Sources said the note may have been sent not only to increase security but also to give out a message that these Pakistani officials should not be seen as enemies and that they face the same threats as India. Both Congress and AAP have accused the central government of surrendering to Pakistan by allowing the JIT to come to India.

The note also confirmed that the JIT will land at Amritsar's commercial airport on Tuesday morning instead of at the Pathankot airbase to deny the JIT members a bird's eye view of the base.

Sources confirmed that none of the top Punjab cops, including DGP Suresh Arora or state intelligence officials, would be present at the site when the JIT arrives. MHA officials also ruled out any interaction between the JIT and Gurdaspur superintendent of police (SP) Salwinder Singh, his cook Madan Gopal and jeweller Rajesh Verma all of whom were carjacked by the attackers.

"I think we should welcome their coming here as long as it is fight against a common enemy. A deputy inspector general rank officer in border range will escort them and provide meals. Rest of the modalities are still being finalised" said a Punjab cop.