No evidence to show Pakistan government helped JeM to carry out Pathankot terror attack: NIA DG

Delhi: Director General of National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sharad Kumar has said that there was no evidence so far to indicate direct complicity of Pakistan government or Pakistani agencies in the Pathankot attack.

In an interview to News18, Kumar said, "No evidence to show that Pakistan government or Pakistani government agency was helping Jaish–e–Mohammed or Masood Azhar or his aides carry out Pathankot attack."

On being asked whether there was any inside help to terrorists in Pathankot he said, "Investigation so far does not point to any inside hand."

He added that the NIA had completed its India leg of investigation and were now waiting for Pakistan to allow the team to visit their country.

Kumar further said that chargesheet would be filed in the terror attack even if Pakistan did not give NIA access.

At the same time, he maintained, "We have sufficient and stringent evidence against Masood Azhar and his brother Rauf Azhar and we will include those in our chargesheet."

A Pakistan JIT had visited India in March in connection with the probe in the Pathankot terror attack. After the visit, NIA DG had said that the interaction with JIT was held in accordance with terms of reference mutually agreed on the basis of reciprocity.

The terrorists had entered the strategic air base at Pathankot on the intervening night of January one-two and mounted the brazen assault. 

In the fierce encounter that had ensued, seven security personnel besides four terrorists were killed.