Pakistan-India talks to resume on 28th: FO

Interior secretaries to meet in New Delhi and discuss counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues.

ISLAMABAD:

Interior secretaries of Pakistan and India will meet in New Delhi from March 28, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

This is the first time that such high-level officials are going to meet since the breakdown of the peace dialogue after the Mumbai attacks.

“Following an agreement to resume full spectrum dialogue between Pakistan and India, the first meeting under the resumed process will be held on March 28-29 in the Indian capital,” the spokesperson for the Foreign Office Tehmina Janjua told reporters at the press briefing.

She said that interior secretaries of both the countries would discuss counter-terrorism, narcotics control and humanitarian issues.

In response to a question, she said Pakistan has received a communication from India regarding the permission for allowing Pakistan’s commission to India to probe Ajmal Kasab and Indian desire to question some of the culprits involved in 26/11 incident.

She said that the communication had been forwarded to the ministry of interior for a final decision, adding that the issue was related to that ministry. Talks are expected to cover security and terrorism-related issues, including the progress made in the trials of the Mumbai attacks and bomb attacks on Pakistan-bound train, the Samjhauta Express in India that killed dozens of people, mostly Pakistani nationals.

Chaudhry Qamar Zaman will represent Pakistan while the Indian side will represented by Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai during the two-day dialogue.

The spokesperson said that Tajik President Emomali Ramanov would pay a state visit to Pakistan on March 7-11 at the invitation of President Asif Ali Zardari.

The national security adviser of the United Kingdom is also expected to pay a visit to Pakistan on March 7-8 to exchange views on regional security situation.

The spokesman said the special US envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Mark Grossman would also visit Pakistan on March 6-7.

She said a meeting in connection with the strategic dialogue between Pakistan and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will be held in Dubai on March 8.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar has already left to lead Pakistan in the meeting of the OIC contact group being held in Jeddah.

She said Pakistan has always demanded of the United States to repatriate Dr Aafia Siddiqui in accordance with the wishes of Pakistani people and dictates of law and justice.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2011.