Pathankot attack: Pak registers FIR, doesn’t name JeM, Masood Azhar

New Delhi, February 19

It is disappointing that neither Jaish-e-Mohammed nor its chief Masood Azhar were named in an FIR registered in Pakistan in connection with the attack on an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in January, an Indian official said on Friday.

"It is a small step in the right direction. However, it is disappointing that neither the name of Jaish nor Masood Azhar was incorporated in the FIR," a senior government official said.

Pakistan filed the FIR against some "unknown persons" at the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Gujranwala in the neighbouring country's Punjab province. after investigating the attack for several weeks. 

"We have failed to understand why Jaish and its chief's names were not included in the FIR despite India giving adequate evidence about their involvement," the official said.

Pakistan’s law mandates that an FIR is necessary to begin police and judicial proceedings into the evidence collected.

Rana Sanaullah, Law Minister of Pakistan's Punjab province, said the guilty would not be spared

" I don't want to name anyone at this stage. Let the probe be completed and if Masood Azhar is involved, action will be taken," Sanaullah said.

India has accused the Azhar, his JeM and his brother Rauf for the predawn strike that left six militants and seven security personnel killed on January 2. — PTI