By
Sajjad Shaukat
Without
any investigation and evidence, since the first day of the a terror attack at the Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot, Indian media and top civil and
military officials started claiming that the attackers had arrived from
Pakistani Punjab’s Bahawalpur district, and had links with Jaish-e-Mohammad
and Pakistan’s primary intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
But, despite Islamabad’s cooperation with India like formation of the Joint
Investigation Team (JIT) consisting of professionals to investigate the
Pathankot attack, crackdown against the militant group Jaish-i-Mohammad—lodging
of a First Information Report (FIR) in relation to the incident, New Delhi
failed in providing any proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the Pathankot
episode. In fact, besides fulfilling other sinister designs against Pakistan,
New Delhi orchestrated that drama to postpone secretary-level
talks with Pakistan, which were
scheduled to be held in Islamabad on January 15, 2016.
Some latest developments
have proved that the terror attack at the
Pathankot Air Force Base
was
preplanned.
A
Muslim Officer of India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) Mohammad Tanzil who was investigating the
Pathankot airbase attack was shot dead by two unidentified attackers near his
hometown-Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh, when he was returning from a function with
his wife and a child, as India media reported on April 3, this year.
Meanwhile, New Delhi’s
non-cooperation with Pakistan’s JIT has proved that Indian intelligence
agencies, especially RAW has arranged the killing of Mohammad Tanzil who wanted
to detect the real culprits of the Pathankot attack. Now, as a formality,
Indian government has directed to conduct a high level inquiry to know
regarding his death by unknown attackers.
It is notable that
Indian authorities failed to provide evidence to Pakistan’s Joint Investigation
Team which visited India to probe into Pathankot attack. The JIT members
visited Pathankot Airbase on March 29 where Indian National Investigation
Agency officials briefed and showed them the route from where the attackers
stormed the airbase.
Sources said that the
lights along the 24-km perimeter wall of the Pathankot airbase found to be
faulty on the eve of the attack. The Pakistani investigators were allowed to
enter the military airbase from the narrow adjacent routes instead of main
entrance and their duration of the visit was just 55 minutes, enough to take a
mere walk through the airbase. The JIT could not collect evidence in this
limited time.
The sources also pointed
out that the visiting team was only informed about the negligence of Boarder
Security Force (BSF) and Indian forces. It was disclosed that at the time of
the assault, the BSF was sleeping, even though they had been alerted of a
possible attack 48 hours earlier.
As a matter of fact,
Ajit Doval, the ex-spymaster who is now National Security Advisor of Indian
Prime Minister Modi is the real author and controller of India’s
offensive-defensive doctrine.
Besides planning various
terror attacks in Pakistan as part of Indian offensive-defensive doctrine, Ajit
Doval also advised to arrange various subversive acts inside India and to shift
the blame game to Pakistan like orchestrated drama of Gurdaspur episode, boat
incident etc. to defame Pakistan and its security agencies.
In this context, on
January 2, 2016, the terror attack at Indian Air
Force Base in Pathankot was preplanned under his directions.
Undoubtedly, Pakistan as
a responsible member of the international community condemned the Pathankot
attack and offered honest and sincere help to investigate the issue, though New
Delhi itself planned the incident. In this respect, on January 8, 2016, a high
level meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was held in which
chief of army staff and DG, ISI also participated. The meeting also discussed
the Pathankot incident and expressed Pakistan’s condemnation. Reiterating
commitment to cooperate with India to completely eradicate the menace of
terrorism in the region, it was decided to remain in touch with the Indian
government—expressed the goodwill generated by the recent high level contacts,
the two countries would remain committed to a sustained, meaningful and
comprehensive dialogue process.
Pakistan’s stance has
been appreciated and international community also asked both the countries to
solve the issue through diplomacy.
Security policy of
Pakistan supported by all stake holders including Government and Security
institutions aims at eradicating terrorists from its soil .Pakistan is
sincere in investigating the Pathankot attack. Islamabad is serious in
addressing genuine concerns of New Delhi and international community. This was
the first ever effort by India to genuinely engage Pakistan.
Pakistan’s seriousness
and non-involvement is reflective from Pakistan’s willing support for a fair
investigation.
Now, the ball is Indian
court to open the doors for genuine investigation and share all proves to
Islamabad—sufficient enough for a tangible legal action.
Notably, India’s
orchestrated drama of the Pathankot incident could also be judged from the fact
that earlier, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had said in confusion
that New Delhi would not allow access to the JIT into the base, though it was
allowed on very limited scale to fulfill the formality. It can undermine the
seriousness of bilateral commitments to find the truth.
Team had to be allowed
serious access to the Indian investigations as to ascertain the reality. In
this connection, varying claims came from New Delhi with regards to the
strength of the killed terrorists. And Pictures/photographs of only four
terrorists have been shared with the media so far. Hence, it is to find about
remaining two.
It is of particular
attention that Indian Intelligence agencies had already alerted security
agencies about the possible terror group’s planning of the assault at
Pathonkot, after tracing the phone calls of the militants. Following the alert,
Western Air Command chief Air Marshal SB Deo had reached Pathankot air base on
the same day of night himself to take stock of security preparations. One day
before, the terrorists had also hijacked the car of Indian Superintend of Police (SP), Gurdaspur,Salwinder Singh,
which was used by them to reach the base. SP, his friend Rajesh Verma, and cook
Madan Gopal were abducted and afterwards released. Reports revealed that Indian
NIA which has been entrusted with the attack probe, is questioning the SP, his
friend and cook, deliberately linking him with Pakistan’s banned outfit
Jaish-e-Mohammad and spy agency, ISI.
Nonetheless, Pathankot
incident cannot be seen in isolation, as it is part of Indian activities
against Pakistan. In this context, it is also of particular attention that on
March 24, 2016, Pakistan’s security forces disclosed that they arrested the
serving agent of Indian intelligence agency RAW in Balochistan province. During
investigation, RAW agent namely Kulbushan Yadav confessed that during his stay,
he contacted various Baloch separatist leaders and insurgents, including Dr
Allah Nazar Baloch, to execute the task to damage the China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor project.
While addressing a joint
press conference with Federal Minister for Information Pervaiz Rasheed,
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Asim Saleem
Bajwa said on March 29, 2016, “Kulbushan Yadav’s arrest is a rare case
that does not happen very often.” He disclosed that Yadav was an
active officer of the Indian Navy prior to his joining RAW. He also served as a
scrap dealer and had a jewelry business in Chahbahar, Iran, after he joined RAW
in 2013.
A video was
also shown during the press conference in which Yadav confessed that he spied
for India. Yadav admitted that he was assigned with the task to create unrest
in Karachi and Balolchitan by stating, “I supported the individuals who worked
to destabilise Pakistan…I promoted the criminal mindset that was there in
Balochistan.” Another task assigned to him was to target the Gwadar Port. Yadav
also confessed funding Baloch separatists along with other terrorists. He stated
that he was arrested by Pakistani authorities while he was heading
Iran.
On March 25, in a
statement, India’s External Affairs Ministry, while admitting the RAW agent,
captured by the Pakistani security forces to be Indian citizen, claimed that he
was a commander in the Indian Navy, and it has sought consular access to Yadav.
Pakistan’s Foreign
Office, spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said, “Pakistan summoned Indian High
Commissioner Gautam Bambawale and lodged a strong protest over RAW officer’s
arrest…India’s spying activities in Balochistan and Karachi…the spy was linked
to separatist elements in Balochistan, as well as involved in acts of sectarian
terrorism and terror attacks in Karachi…and Balochistan.”
But, the arrest of RAW
agent was made at a crucial hour, when Pakistani JIT was scheduled to visit
India to investigate Pathankot terror attack.
Returning to our main
discussion, India is spoiling the investigation of the Pathonkot incident,
because it has itself arranged the attack, as part of the anti-Pakistan scheme.
Sajjad Shaukat writes on
international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants,
Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations
Email:
sajjad_logic@yahoo.com
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