Pathankot attack: Probe establishes Pakistan links, say Defence Experts

Defense experts are uncertain whether the terrorists were sent by the Pakistani establishment or if they came on their own

Defence Experts on Sunday said there is no doubt that the perpetrators of the attack at Pathankot Air Force base were from Pakistan.

"There is no doubt that these terrorists came from Pakistan. The doubt is that whether they have been sent by the Pakistani establishment or they have come on their own. Even if they have come on their own then the establishment might have helped them. Otherwise it is not possible to cross the border undetected carrying such heavy weapons," Lieutenant General (Retd.) Raj Kadyan told ANI.

Meanwhile, security and strategic affairs expert Commodore (Retd.) C. Uday Bhaskar said the attack had a pattern similar to last year's attack in Punjab's Gurdaspur district and the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike.

 

"The investigation that has been carried out in the Pathankot attack till now has established the links with Pakistan. These telephone calls placed in the public domain are very instructive because in many ways you see a pattern that you could link to either 2008 Mumbai attack or the Gurdaspur attack. There is communication between the perpetrators and the handlers. The linkage with Pakistan is fairly credible," he told ANI.

Commodore (Retd.) Bhaskar also said Pakistan's claim that they would treat all terrorist activities in the same manner is being put to test.

"This puts the attack in a very complex context. Pakistan has repeatedly been saying in public that now there are no two standards. So what was said in public after Peshawar, the way Pakistani establishment tried to convey and convince the global community that they will deal with all terror activities in the same manner is on test," he added.

The death toll of the martyred in the Pathankot Air Force Base attack has risen to six so far as three more defence personnel succumbed to their injuries.

A Garud commando and two Defence Security Corps (DSC) personnel succumbed to their injuries in the hospital last night.

So far, eight DSC jawans and a Garud commando have been injured in the terrorist attack on the Air Base.

The terrorists who attacked the Base reportedly had their allegiance to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe in the attack and has reportedly sought assistance from the Punjab police and the Central Intelligence Bureau.