Home Secys Prepare Pitch For Two PMs
Vishwa Mohan \TNN
New Delhi: Pakistan agreed to receive an Indian commission on the 26/11 terrorist attacks as India and Pakistan on Tuesday forded their persistent disagreements on the investigations.A Pakistani judicial commission will visit India as well.
The breakthrough augurs well for Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani in Mohali on Wednesday as it signals a preparedness to reach some common ground even though a lot of politically tricky terrain is yet to be traversed.
With the Indian and Pakistani home secretaries also agreeing on a hotline to share real time information on terror threats,the pitch looks conducive for Singh and Gilani to inject much-needed momentum into the stalled dialogue.
Although official sources stressed the occasion was not meant for substantive talks,some confidence- building initiatives could still be put on the table.
Prime Ministers Singh and Gilani are expected to leave their special box to discuss some confidence-building measures over dinner during the India-Pakistan cricketing clash.Gilani is set to return to Pakistan after the match is over.
The commissions to visit India and Pakistan will be allowed access to investigators and witnesses in the Mumbai cases.There is no indication that this can include Lashkar-e-Taiba men Zarar Shah and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi among others held in Pakistan.The Pakistani commission wants to meet the magistrate and other officials involved in the trial of surviving 26/11 gunman Ajmal Kasab.
It is significant that the joint statement of the two-day home secretary-level meet mentions a mutual resolve to fight terrorism in all forms and to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice.
Indias national investigative agency and Pakistans federal investigative agency will continue to cooperate in the Mumbai investigations.
This indicates Indian concerns on Pakistan acting against terror will remain top priority for any forward movement in ties,something the Pakistani establishment understands.The effort in Mohali will be to use an unstructured format to give a political push to the multi-sectoral dialogue.
For the Pakistanis,there is a reference to India sharing information on the Samjhauta train blast,alleged to be the handiwork of Hindu extremists,and a promise to provide an update after a chargesheet is filed in court.
TALKS TAKEAWAYS
Pak agrees in principle to allow a 26/11 probe commission from India to visit;investigative agencies of both countries to cooperate in the case
Pak has moved its high court on Indias demand for voice samples of 26/11 accused
Hotline between Indian home secy & Pak interior secy for real-time info-sharing on terror threats
Liberal visa regime proposed
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzAzLzMwI0FyMDAzMDI=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
Vishwa Mohan \TNN
New Delhi: Pakistan agreed to receive an Indian commission on the 26/11 terrorist attacks as India and Pakistan on Tuesday forded their persistent disagreements on the investigations.A Pakistani judicial commission will visit India as well.
The breakthrough augurs well for Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani in Mohali on Wednesday as it signals a preparedness to reach some common ground even though a lot of politically tricky terrain is yet to be traversed.
With the Indian and Pakistani home secretaries also agreeing on a hotline to share real time information on terror threats,the pitch looks conducive for Singh and Gilani to inject much-needed momentum into the stalled dialogue.
Although official sources stressed the occasion was not meant for substantive talks,some confidence- building initiatives could still be put on the table.
Prime Ministers Singh and Gilani are expected to leave their special box to discuss some confidence-building measures over dinner during the India-Pakistan cricketing clash.Gilani is set to return to Pakistan after the match is over.
The commissions to visit India and Pakistan will be allowed access to investigators and witnesses in the Mumbai cases.There is no indication that this can include Lashkar-e-Taiba men Zarar Shah and Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi among others held in Pakistan.The Pakistani commission wants to meet the magistrate and other officials involved in the trial of surviving 26/11 gunman Ajmal Kasab.
It is significant that the joint statement of the two-day home secretary-level meet mentions a mutual resolve to fight terrorism in all forms and to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice.
Indias national investigative agency and Pakistans federal investigative agency will continue to cooperate in the Mumbai investigations.
This indicates Indian concerns on Pakistan acting against terror will remain top priority for any forward movement in ties,something the Pakistani establishment understands.The effort in Mohali will be to use an unstructured format to give a political push to the multi-sectoral dialogue.
For the Pakistanis,there is a reference to India sharing information on the Samjhauta train blast,alleged to be the handiwork of Hindu extremists,and a promise to provide an update after a chargesheet is filed in court.
TALKS TAKEAWAYS
Pak agrees in principle to allow a 26/11 probe commission from India to visit;investigative agencies of both countries to cooperate in the case
Pak has moved its high court on Indias demand for voice samples of 26/11 accused
Hotline between Indian home secy & Pak interior secy for real-time info-sharing on terror threats
Liberal visa regime proposed
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JTS8yMDExLzAzLzMwI0FyMDAzMDI=&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
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