Pathankot attack: Pakistan working on leads provided by India, says FO
Challenge of terrorism Calls for strengthening resolve to a cooperative approach, the FO stated.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk / AFP) - Pakistan on Monday categorically condemned the unfortunate terrorist incident at Pathankot airbase in India.
"We understand the pain of many families who have lost their dear ones in this tragedy, as Pakistan itself is a major victim of terrorism," the Foreign Office stated.
"We have extended our deepest condolences to the Government and people of India."
The FO further said: "In line with Pakistan‘s commitment to effectively counter and eradicate terrorism, the Government is in touch with the Indian government and is working on the leads provided by it."
"Living in the same region and with a common history, the two countries should remain committed to a sustained dialogue process. The challenge of terrorism calls for strengthening our resolve to a cooperative approach," the ministry said.
Indian troops backed by helicopters searched the air force base after a weekend of fierce fighting with attackers left seven soldiers dead.
Earlier, a senior Indian security officer said a fifth attacker had been killed, in addition to four gunmen killed earlier at the Pathankot base in the northern state of Punjab near the border with Pakistan.
"We have been able to eliminate the fifth terrorist. The combing and search operations still continue," the officer from the National Security Guard (NSG), a special forces unit, told journalists on condition of anonymity.
He did not say what day the fifth attacker died.
The base was hit in a dawn raid Saturday that triggered a 14-hour gunbattle and there was more firing Sunday.
It was not clear Monday whether any surviving attackers remained inside the base but troops were still searching.
Security officials said they were focusing on a two-storey building that contained living quarters for families on the base where the militants had previously holed up.
LANDMARK VISIT BY INDIAN PM
The attack -- a rare targeting of an Indian military installation outside disputed Kashmir -- may have been intended to undermine improving relations with Pakistan after a landmark visit to the neighbouring country by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley refused to comment on the impact of the attack on Modi‘s bold peace initiative, after the premier‘s surprise visit to meet his counterpart in the Pakistani city of Lahore.
"The intelligence input really helped, which is why we could promptly stop them at a distance to contain and neutralise them at a distance from our strategic assets," Jaitley told state broadcaster Doordarshan without giving details of its source.
"The casualties of the security personnel are very unfortunate... the aim was to neutralise them or catch them without loss of assets."
Pathankot houses dozens of jet fighters and is located just 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Pakistan border.
