Indian PM visits Pathankot air base in northern state

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday visited the Pathankot Air Force base in the northern state of Punjab, a week after it was attacked by Pakistani militants.

Sources said that Modi arrived at the key frontier air base around 11:00 a.m. (local time) and was briefed by Air Commodore J.S. Dhamoon about the attack in which seven security men were killed.

The Indian prime minister then went on to meet some of the 20 injured security personnel, before leaving for an aerial survey of areas along the international border with Pakistan, sources said.

His visit came a day after Indian security forces sanitized the air base where fighter jets and combat choppers of the country are stationed.

In fact, the operation started after the six Pakistani militants were killed by Indian security personnel in a four-day gunbattle.

The attack took place a week after Modi had made a surprise visit to Lahore and met his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his 66th birthday, on his way back home from Afghanistan.

After the attack, Modi is said to have clearly told Sharif that India wants immediate, concrete action against the mastermind of the air base terror attack.

India has also handed over to Pakistan intercepts of phone calls made by the six terrorists to their handlers in Pakistan.

Sources said India and Pakistan are scheduled to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks in Islamabad from January 15 and that now seems unlikely, particularly if Pakistan doesn't act. Endit