Pakistan condemns attack on Indian airbase

FO says both countries to fight terrorism jointly; Modi says enemies of humanity could not succeed; BJP’s minister says resumed dialogue with Pakistan cannot be revoked due to

‘one attack’; 70pc Indians support continuation of Pak-India dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned the terrorist incident in Pathankot, India, on Saturday, and remained optimistic that the goodwill created during the recent high-level contacts between the two countries would ensure that both countries will fight terrorism jointly.

“Pakistan would remain committed to partner with India as well as other countries in the region to completely eradicate the menace of terrorism afflicting our region,” Foreign Office said. India has so far reacted cautiously to the terrorist attack on an Indian airbase near Pakistan’s border in the early hours of Saturday, where initially it blamed the pre-dawn terrorist attack, on the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit.

BJP’s Union Minister Prakash Javadekar according to the Indian media “bats for continuation of talks with the neighbouring country. The resumed dialogue with Pakistan cannot be revoked due to “one attack” and accused the Congress of “politicising” the Pathankot terror incident. At 6:43pm in the evening Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a tweet said, “Enemies of humanity who can’t see India progress, such elements attacked in Pathankot but our security forces did not let them succeed”. Spokesman at the Foreign Office while condemning the attack said that “many precious lives have been lost and Pakistan extends heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India and the bereaved families and wish the wounded speedy and full recovery”.

Spokesman at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in another tweet in the early afternoon said, “Operations continuing, immediate focus on resolving situation - premature to say anything more at this point.”

Reuters in its report quoted Michael Kugelman, a South Asia expert at the Wilson Centre think tank in Washington. “The moment that Modi touched down in Lahore (and probably even before), something like this was doomed to happen,” he said. “At this point, there’s sufficient goodwill in India-Pakistan relations to weather this attack. Saboteurs won’t win this one,” he said. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said: “Pakistan is our neighbouring country. We want good relations with not just Pakistan but with all our neighbours. We also want peace but if there is any terror attack on India, we will give a befitting reply,” he said.

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh also condemned the terror attack on the Air Force base in Pathankot, saying it was a clear attempt by rogue elements in Pakistan to sabotage the peace process.

In Srinagar Omar Abdullah tweeted, “That was quick. Here’s the first major challenge to the PM Modi’s bold Pakistan gambit.” “We have seen the same pattern again and again when there are attempts to restart the peace dialogue,” Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi, told Reuters. “It may lead to a momentary pause in the peace dialogue and attacks from the opposition for not pursuing a harder line but I don’t think it will have a long-term impact.” In its latest poll, the Times of India asked respondents after the Pathankot attack, “Should the Pathankot attack halt Indo-Pak talks?”. In response, 70pc Indians on this online poll supported the peace process despite the terrorist attack.