Pak Pathankot JIT to arrive in India on March 27: Swaraj

Pokhara (Nepal), March 17: A Pakistani Joint Investigation Team will arrive in India on March 27 to carry forward its probe into the Pathankot terror attack, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj announced here on Thursday, March 17.

The announcement came after Swaraj's 20-minute meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, who hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Premier Nawaz Sharif will meet in the US on March 31 on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"It is not possible that Pathankot be not discussed in my meeting with Sartaj Aziz...the date for JIT visit has been decided. It will arrive on (March) 27th night and will begin their work on March 28," Swaraj said addressing the media with Aziz after the two leaders held talks on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting.

Aziz, on his part, expressed satisfaction over the way the Pathankot incident was handled on both sides.

He hoped that Sharif and Modi will meet in the US. "Not sure whether there will be a structured dialogue but hopeful that they will meet," Aziz said.

Aziz also handed over an invitation to Swaraj for Prime Minister Modi to attend the SAARC Summit hosted by Pakistan on November 9 and 10.

Swaraj said she has accepted the invitation on behalf of the Prime Minister and thanked Sharif and Aziz for it. Earlier this year, a scheduled meeting between Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India was postponed after the January 2 Pathankot attack for which India blames Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Muhammed.

PTI