Pathankot probe: Home minister Rajnath Singh says no to Pakistan SIT visit

NEW DELHI: Home minister Rajnath Singh has red-flagged the move to “welcome” Pakistan’s SIT to probe the Pathankot attack, indicating his ministry’s discomfiture with the initial Indian response to Pakistan’s efforts. This, sources told ET, could now prompt a rethink on the Indian line.

The matter came up at a meeting chaired by Singh on Friday, which was also attended by defence minister Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval and the secretaries of home and defence ministries, officials said. Parrikar had earlier, according to news reports, also expressed reservations.

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He was quoted two days ago as saying “no one can come” when asked about the possible visit by Pak team to the Pathankot air base, the site of attack.

On January 14, external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup had announced that India had accepted Pakistan’s offer to send a special investigative team and would work on the modalities later.

A senior North Block official, however, have a different take. “Why should not the National Investigation Agency team (investigating the Pathankot attack) be first allowed access to Pakistan and made privy to the investigation and evidences collected so far there, including arrests made? The home ministry wants to know from where this matter (of allowing a Pak team) had emerged. Apparently, it was announced by Pak without any consultation with India.”

The official further said the Pakistani team should confine itself to investigations on its soil on the basis of the leads already provided.