Pakistan's special joint investigation team, set up to investigate the alleged involvement of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the Jan. 2 Pathankot airbase attack, will arrive in India March 27, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Thursday in Pokhara city of Nepal.
She made the announcement after meeting foreign affairs adviser to the Pakistani prime minister, Sartaj Aziz, on the sidelines of the 37th South Asian Association Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting.
"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," Press Trust of India quoted Swaraj as saying.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered a special investigation team to examine the evidence that India had handed over to its neighbour after initial investigation suggested the Pathankot attackers were members of JeM and had infiltrated into India from Pakistan. At least seven security personnel and all the six militants were killed in the attack on the Indian Air Force base.
At the meeting, Aziz gave Swaraj an invitation from Sharif to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the SAARC summit that will be held in Pakistan Nov. 9 and Nov. 10.
"Sartaz Aziz has handed over the invitation for the next SAARC meet for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and on the behalf of our PM, I have accepted the invitation," ANI news agency quoted Swaraj as saying.
Aziz said he hoped Sharif and Modi will meet in the United States, on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit March 31.
