The Oppoition slammed the government over the reports and also slammed the visit of Pakistani officials to Pathankot.
The reported statement of NIA Chief Sharad Kumar that so far there has not been any sign of involvement of the Pakistani government in helping Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) carry out the Pathankot attack has triggered a new row between India and Pakistan even as New Delhi clarified that the complicity of its nationals "is an accepted fact".
While the NIA backtracked on its Mr Kumar's statement, Islamabad on its part touted his remarks to claim "vindication" of its long standing position in this regard.
The whole row started over a written interview purportedly given by Mr Kumar to TV channel
CNN-News18 in which he had said "No. So far, no evidence to show that Pakistan government or Pakistani government agency was helping Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) or Masood Azhar or his aides carry out Pathankot attack."
Later the NIA issued a statement saying the observation attributed to DG NIA as regards Pathankot investigations "are strongly refuted". It said his statement has been misquoted.
The External Affairs Minister reacted to the controversy today saying the DG NIA has already issued a clarification and it put out the government's position that "the involvement of Pakistan's nationals in the Pathankot Air Base attack is an accepted fact".
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala made a scathing attack on the government accusing it of weakening India's fight against terrorism nationally and internationally with the NIA director giving "clean chit" to Pakistan and its agencies.
He said that this was lamentable given the fact that India had succeeded in putting Pakistan in the dock after the 26-11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Faulting the Modi government's decision to invite Pakistani officers including those from the "infamous ISI" to visit the Pathankot airbase, he said that what did the JIT officers did after returning was to attack India and Indian government.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also hit at the government and tweeted "No other PM in the history of independent India knelt before Pak like this".