Pathankot attack: Take firm action, Modi tells Sharif; Parrikar confirms all 6 attackers killed

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called up Narendra Modi Tuesday and promised “prompt and decisive” action against those behind the attack on an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot which has threatened to take a meat cleaver to the Indo-Pak dialogue revival process which has barely begun after a three year frost. Seven Indian soldiers have been killed in the attack, combing operations are still on. [caption id=“attachment_2569058” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Security forces at the site of the terror attack. PTI[/caption] Nawaz Sharif called Modi as soon as the Indian government announced that all six terrorists who had attacked the airbase and used “Pakistan-made” equipment had been killed by security forces, reports The Indian Express. Modi’s office said New Delhi had given Islamabad “specific and actionable information” on the audacious attack, which came just days after a landmark visit to Pakistan by the Indian premier raised hopes of improved relations. Security officials suspect the gunmen belonged to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, the group that staged a 2001 attack on the Indian parliament which brought the two countries to the brink of war. In a statement, Modi’s office said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had telephoned him to discuss the attack on the Pathankot base in the northern state of Punjab near the border with Pakistan. Modi “strongly emphasised the need for Pakistan to take firm and immediate action against the organisations and individuals responsible for and linked to the Pathankot terrorist attack”, said the statement. “Specific and actionable information in this regard has been provided to Pakistan.” It said Sharif had given assurances that his government would take “prompt and decisive action”. Pakistan had already condemned the attack, which began on Saturday with a dawn raid on the vast air base that triggered a 14-hour gunbattle. A statement Tuesday from Sharif’s office said his government was “working on the leads and information provided by the Indian government”. India is expected to send to Pakistan a letter rogatory (LR) along with DNA samples of the slain terrorists and their phone call details. The DNA test of the six terrorists will be conducted as early as possible so that Pakistani authorities can move on the case, official sources said. Sharif expressed his condolences for the loss of life and said he appreciated the “maturity” shown by the Indian government in the wake of the attack.

#PathankotAttack PM Sharif calls PM Modi, assures that his Govt wd take prompt & decisive action against terrorists pic.twitter.com/aV41NRCUnV

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) January 5, 2016

#PathankotAttack | Heads can only roll after inquiry is completed: BJP pic.twitter.com/8ZRI31jHfX

— News18 (@CNNnews18) January 5, 2016

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#BREAKING | Explanation needs to be sought from NSA over #PathankotAttack, says Subramanian Swamy to CNN-IBN pic.twitter.com/BSW6oirQsx

— News18 (@CNNnews18) January 5, 2016

- Derail peace process Some analysts have suggested the rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside disputed Kashmir may have been aimed at derailing talks between the nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought three wars since gaining independence from Britain in 1947. It coincided with a 25-hour siege near an Indian consulate in Afghanistan that left at least one policeman dead and 11 others wounded. Analysts in Pakistan believe it is nearly impossible that the prime minister would have been allowed to hold a breakthrough meeting with his Indian counterpart last month without the consent of the army, widely understood to dictate foreign and security policy. But analyst Khadim Hussain said the attack on the air base along with a Taliban surge in Afghanistan indicated that elements of the Pakistani military were not on board with the negotiations. “The immediate result is they would like to derail the peace process,” he told AFP, clarifying that it was unclear whether such decisions were sanctioned at the highest levels. Sharif’s statement Tuesday noted that whenever a “serious effort” for peace between the India and Pakistan was launched, “terrorists try to derail the process”. Modi’s comments came as India’s defence minister said the Pathankot attack had exposed “some gaps” in security following media criticism of how the incident was handled. Gunshots could still be heard from the base on Monday - more than 48 hours after the raid - leading some to question why it took so long to neutralise the six assailants, all of whom were finally killed. “I do see some gaps (in security), which will be clear after investigations,” minister Manohar Parrikar told journalists. “There is no suspected terrorist inside right now… I will not give a negative report till the combing operations are over. The combing operations may be over by tomorrow,” he said in reply to questions. “One of the terrorists still has a body vest where they (security forces) can see a grenade stuck… I am very very clear they should not take any risk. We have already lost one person to a booby trap, so no more losses,” Parrikar  said. He stressed that the base was a “complicated area” spread over nearly 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) and housing 3,000 families. The Pathankot attack was claimed Monday by the United Jihad Council, an umbrella group for jihadist outfits fighting in the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir. Jaish-e-Mohammed is not part of the United Jihad Council. With Agencies