 "A Security forces jawan guards inside the Pathankot Air Force base after the end of the military operation against militants on Tuesday. PTI Photo")
If a survey were to be carried out today to see if people believe that anything fruitful will come out of the joint investigation team (JIT) which has been set up between India and Pakistan to investigate the links of the Pathankot air base attack, the answer in India would be a resounding ‘No’. Very few would believe that Pakistan will ever own up to such an act being carried out from its soil, irrespective of the evidence. Likewise, if a similar survey was carried out in Pakistan, few there would believe the authenticity of evidence India produces.
The question then is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to achieve by allowing investigators from Pakistan on Indian soil.
In every attack on Indian soil, the country has blamed state-sponsored terrorists from Pakistan. On each occasion, India has sent loads of evidence to Pakistan. But precious little has come of it. Even courts in Pakistan have refused to see any merit in the evidence.
Throughout his election campaign, Modi had been caustic on Pakistan’s role in perpetrating violence on Indian soil and had attacked the then UPA government for its inaction and inability in punishing Pakistan.
Now, he seems to have committed political hara-kiri by allowing Pakistan-based investigators, from its intelligence agency ISI, no less, to come to India and check evidence. Political parties are having a field day on this self-goal by Modi. Social media is abuzz with Modi’s role in the JIT. #Modishamesindia is among the top trends with even right wing and hard-core supporters questioning the decision.
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Defence minister Manohar Parrikar said in an interaction with media that he had especially denied permission to the foreign investigative team to go anywhere near the airbase, and wondered why then it was visiting Pathankot. He, however, added the Pathankot terror attack was being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and thus, it was within the purview of the NIA to give permission to the Pakistan JIT to visit the crime scene.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has given a detailed presentation to the visiting Pakistani probe team on the evidence collected with regard to Pathankot airbase terror attack case. The NIA will also make available to the JIT several eyewitnesses of the attack that lasted four days. These witnesses will be largely from the defence establishment; however, the JIT will not be allowed to question them.
This raises another question: What is the purpose of JIT’s visit if it is not allowed to inspect the site or speak to the witnesses? They will likely go back and say that the visit was not fruitful.
In their justification for allowing investigators from Pakistan on Indian soil, Modi’s government has said that they are hoping for a reciprocal action from Pakistan in allowing access to the handlers of terrorists based there. But if Indian authorities are not allowing JIT to question witnesses, wouldn’t reciprocity mean that Pakistan will only parade the handlers, if at all, in front of Indian investigators. What purpose, then, is served in such a show of diplomatic bonhomie?
Pakistan in all probability will officially deny that the evidence is up to its satisfaction. What option will Modi have in such a case? It will be a loss of face, with his partymen joining the Opposition in saying ‘We told you so’. For Modi, the timing of the investigation could not have been worse as it comes at a time when Punjab, where Pathankot is based, is getting ready for state elections.
Even if Pakistan buckles under pressure, they can at best arrest some fringe elements, which will not be enough for Modi to claim victory.
While he may get some brownie points from the international community, Modi is unlikely to get any positive response in India for his Pathankot policy.
