Islamabad: Terrorism figured in great detail during Friday's
meeting between the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan who
discussed all aspects of the resumed dialogue, ahead of a meeting
between their Foreign Ministers on Saturday.
Both India and Pakistan maintained that the talks, lasting for over two hours, were "positive" and "frank".
"Talks were positive and very good. We had an overview of issues before Foreign Minister-level talks and now we will brief our Ministers," Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani told PTI.
The talks between Mr Jilani and his Indian counterpart Ranjan Mathai was a preparatory meeting to finalise the agenda for the parleys between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who arrived on Friday, and Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said, "The talks were cordial, frank and very positive. They discussed all aspects of the resumed dialogue and reviewed the entire expanse of the discussions held so far."
He said that the two sides acknowledged that progress has been made in bilateral relations but agreed that "much more needs to be done".
Sources said terrorism "certainly figured" in great detail, with India referring to the slow trial of Mumbai terror attack.
The Foreign Secretaries also reviewed the outcome of the working group of the Joint Commission, held on Thursday, and will now report to their Ministers, Akbaruddin said.
In Friday's meeting, the Indian delegation, led by Mr Mathai, included Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Yash Sinha, and other senior officials.
Krishna meets Ashraf
Mr Krishna today called on Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf who said that the country was looking forward to a visit by his counterpart Manmohan Singh.
Mr Krishna and Mr Pervez talked about ways to carry forward Indo-Pak relations, sources privy to the meeting said. Mr Ashraf conveyed that Pakistan was looking forward to a visit by the Indian Prime Minister, sources said.
Pakistan Foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar was also present during the over 20-minute meeting.
Leaders from Pakistan's three main political parties called on Mr Krishna, and discussed issues ranging from the resumed dialogue process and trade.
Liberalised visa agreement to be signed today
Ahead of the inking of a new liberalised visa agreement between India and Pakistan, Interior Minister Rahman Malik termed it a positive development and said this will boost people to people contact between the two nations.
"Inking of the agreement is a positive development that will boost people to people contact," Mr Malik said.
The much-awaited visa pact could not be inked during the Home Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan in May, after Islamabad insisted that it should be signed at a political level.
The visa agreement will finally be signed on Saturday between Mr Malik and Mr Krishna. "This is something the two countries should cherish," Mr Malik said.
The pact will benefit people of both the countries as it will facilitate multiple-entry and reporting-free visas for businessmen, allowing them to visit five cities instead of three as at present.
It will also exempt elderly people from police reporting, allowing common people from either country to visit three earmarked cities instead of one and introducing visa on arrival facility at Wagah for senior citizens and children. The new pact will act as a great boost to people to people contact, a source said.
The new agreement will replace the old visa regime that was signed in 1974.
Special consular access to Sarabjit
Pakistan has given India special consular access to Indian national Sarabjit Singh, on a death row in a Lahore jail for over two decades, following his complaints of ill treatment, Mr Malik said on Friday.
The special consular access was given on Wednesday, he said adding that Sarabjit would be kept properly.
On the issue of pardon for the Indian national, Mr Malik said the matter would be decided according to the law.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari also assured India that he will consider the case of the Indian
prisoner.
Sarabjit, who is 49, is currently being held at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and has been on death row for over 20 years. He was convicted and sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in Punjab in 1990 that killed 14 people. He has alleged the jail authorities were serving him "unhygienic" food, which was "difficult to eat", and he was being mistreated.
Following his complaints, the High Commission of India here had approached Pakistan's Foreign Ministry seeking special consular access to Sarabjit.
Both India and Pakistan maintained that the talks, lasting for over two hours, were "positive" and "frank".
"Talks were positive and very good. We had an overview of issues before Foreign Minister-level talks and now we will brief our Ministers," Pakistan Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani told PTI.
The talks between Mr Jilani and his Indian counterpart Ranjan Mathai was a preparatory meeting to finalise the agenda for the parleys between External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, who arrived on Friday, and Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar.
Syed Akbaruddin, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs said, "The talks were cordial, frank and very positive. They discussed all aspects of the resumed dialogue and reviewed the entire expanse of the discussions held so far."
He said that the two sides acknowledged that progress has been made in bilateral relations but agreed that "much more needs to be done".
Sources said terrorism "certainly figured" in great detail, with India referring to the slow trial of Mumbai terror attack.
The Foreign Secretaries also reviewed the outcome of the working group of the Joint Commission, held on Thursday, and will now report to their Ministers, Akbaruddin said.
In Friday's meeting, the Indian delegation, led by Mr Mathai, included Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Sharat Sabharwal, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Yash Sinha, and other senior officials.
Krishna meets Ashraf
Mr Krishna today called on Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf who said that the country was looking forward to a visit by his counterpart Manmohan Singh.
Mr Krishna and Mr Pervez talked about ways to carry forward Indo-Pak relations, sources privy to the meeting said. Mr Ashraf conveyed that Pakistan was looking forward to a visit by the Indian Prime Minister, sources said.
Pakistan Foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar was also present during the over 20-minute meeting.
Leaders from Pakistan's three main political parties called on Mr Krishna, and discussed issues ranging from the resumed dialogue process and trade.
Liberalised visa agreement to be signed today
Ahead of the inking of a new liberalised visa agreement between India and Pakistan, Interior Minister Rahman Malik termed it a positive development and said this will boost people to people contact between the two nations.
"Inking of the agreement is a positive development that will boost people to people contact," Mr Malik said.
The much-awaited visa pact could not be inked during the Home Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan in May, after Islamabad insisted that it should be signed at a political level.
The visa agreement will finally be signed on Saturday between Mr Malik and Mr Krishna. "This is something the two countries should cherish," Mr Malik said.
The pact will benefit people of both the countries as it will facilitate multiple-entry and reporting-free visas for businessmen, allowing them to visit five cities instead of three as at present.
It will also exempt elderly people from police reporting, allowing common people from either country to visit three earmarked cities instead of one and introducing visa on arrival facility at Wagah for senior citizens and children. The new pact will act as a great boost to people to people contact, a source said.
The new agreement will replace the old visa regime that was signed in 1974.
Special consular access to Sarabjit
Pakistan has given India special consular access to Indian national Sarabjit Singh, on a death row in a Lahore jail for over two decades, following his complaints of ill treatment, Mr Malik said on Friday.
The special consular access was given on Wednesday, he said adding that Sarabjit would be kept properly.
On the issue of pardon for the Indian national, Mr Malik said the matter would be decided according to the law.
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari also assured India that he will consider the case of the Indian
prisoner.
Sarabjit, who is 49, is currently being held at Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore and has been on death row for over 20 years. He was convicted and sentenced to death for alleged involvement in a string of bombings in Punjab in 1990 that killed 14 people. He has alleged the jail authorities were serving him "unhygienic" food, which was "difficult to eat", and he was being mistreated.
Following his complaints, the High Commission of India here had approached Pakistan's Foreign Ministry seeking special consular access to Sarabjit.
