Pathankot attacks: NIA awaits response from Pakistan on interrogation of Maulana Masood Azhar, Abdul Rauf

NIA on Thursday night said it was awaiting a response from Pakistan on letters rogatory seeking information and interrogation of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother Abdul Rauf in connection with the Pathankot air base strike even as it probed the role of other "state actors" in the attack.

NIA Director General Sharad Kumar said that the role of the Jaish chief and his brother, besides two other handlers, has been established and all the evidence have been shared with Pakistan. "We are still awaiting a response from them," Kumar said, adding two letters rogatories and several reminders to Islamabad remain unanswered.

Asked whether NIA has given a clean chit to Pakistani agencies, including ISI, in the matter, Kumar said "the case is still under investigations. We have not given any clean chit to anyone. We are examining the role of other players which include state actors" who might have been involved in the conspiracy behind the attack. He, however, did not elaborate on the "state actors".

He denied media reports that quoted him as saying that a clean chit has been given to Pakistani agencies in the Pathankot attack case.

Four terrorists were killed when they carried out a suicide attack on the strategic Indian Air Force base in Pathankot during the intervening night of January 1 and 2. Seven security personnel were also killed during the 80-hour-long gunbattle.