Pakistani team can’t enter IAF base, only crime scene: Parrikar

Panaji, March 28 (IANS) A Pakistani team in India to probe the terror attack on Pathankot’s IAF base won’t have access to the base per se but only the isolated "crime scene", Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Monday.

Parrikar said the defence ministry had "refused permission" to the probe team to access the base. "The crime scene has been handed over to the NIA. Who they want to bring there is their call."

The Pakistani team comprising five intelligence and police officials is expected to reach Pathankot in Punjab on Tuesday.

The crime scene, where terrorists from Pakistan killed seven security personnel on January 2, has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and has been isolated.

But it lies within the sprawling IAF complex.

The minister said the area had been fenced and had no contact with the base.

He added that the Pakistani team had no permission to interact with any defence personnel or use any defence vehicle during their Pathankot visit.

"If we don’t give (NIA) the freedom for investigation, the burden of failure will come to the defence ministry," Parrikar added.

The Pakistani officials arrived in Delhi on Sunday to probe the January 2 terror attack. The team will travel to Pathankot on Tuesday, informed sources said.

All the terrorists and seven security personnel were killed at the base.