Newsroom24x7 Staff

New Delhi: A huge controversy has erupted over the decision of Goverment of India to allow a team of Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) to have “limited access” into the Pathankot Air Force base to investigate the recent Pathankot terror attack.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the area inside the Pathankot Air force base which was the scene of crime has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for investigation purpose and it is up to them who they bring into that area.

Today legislators registered a strong protest in the Delhi Assembly. While members raised the slogan -“ISI go back”- the House was adjourned for the day. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi has launched a scathing attack on the Central Government and the BJP for allowing the ISI team to investigate the Pathankot attack. AAP’s contention is that a team of NIA from India should have gone to Pakistan to conduct investigation because the terrorists and those who planned and were behind the attack on the Pathankot Air force base in January this year were  from Pakistan and India has already given evidence in this regard to the neighbouring country.

Chief Spokesperson of Congress Randeep Singh Surjewala today registered a strong protest. He told the media that without even a letter rogatory the Modi-led Government has allowed the ISI team to enter the Air Force base at Pathankot to investigate the recent terror attack. This raises serious questions regarding compromising of national security, he said adding it is a u-turn in terms of segregation of state and non-state actors who have continued to play a role in exporting terror in India causing loss of lives – both civilian and military.

Surjewala said: “we ask these questions on behalf of the people of India. How can the accused investigate itself.” He said, the BJP Government has for the first time recognised that Pakistan is not exporting terror in India. He particularly pointed to the Pathankot terror attack in this regard.

Many times the Indian Government has pointed out how the ISI has been supporting and handling and supporting terrorist outfits like al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed and this has been the declared policy of India, Surjewala stated and asked: has Government of India and BJP breached this line suo moto in favour of Pakistani Army and ISI?

A BJP spokesperson told media that instead of supporting the Government, Congress and AAP are playing dirty politics. The spokesperson said that by being part of the Joint investigation team (JIT), Pakistan has recognised India’s charge that the Pathankot attack was launched from Pakistan.