Pak SIT to get restricted access in Pathankot

Pakistani investigators coming to India to probe the Pathankot terror attack are likely to be allowed restricted access to the Indian Air Force base.

The five-member Special Investigation Team of Pakistan will reach New Delhi on March 27 and they will hold meeting with officials of the National Investigation Agency of India in the capital on March 28.

The Pakistani SIT may visit Pathankot in Punjab on March 29 and examine the scene of terror attack, apart from questioning the witnesses. They will, however, not be allowed full access to the airbase and their visit to the IAF facility will remain limited to the areas where the security personnel had fire-exchanges with the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists, sources told Deccan Herald in New Delhi.

A section within the Government of India had reservation over granting access to the military facility, given the fact that the forward airbase had several strategic assets of the IAF. Islamabad, however, conveyed to New Delhi that a visit to the airbase would help its investigators analyse the weapons used by the terrorists to attack the military facility, vehicles they used to reach the scene and the communication devices that kept them in touch with the JeM operatives, who were coordinating the strike from Pakistan.