India is open to discussing all issues that Pakistan may bring up in the June 24 India-Pakistan foreign secretary-level talks. In fact, India is approaching the talks in an “exploratory mode” amid indications that Pakistan may raise the contentious issue of Kashmir and ask for the withdrawal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act from J&K, said sources.
When foreign secretary Nirupama Rao meets her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in Islamabad on Thursday, the agenda from the Indian side will be to convey serious concerns over continuing terror by Pakistan-based groups, speedy conclusion of the trial of those involved in 26/11 attacks, infiltration, ceasefire violations and drug-trafficking from across the LoC, said sources.
People-to-people contact, humanitarian issues and trade across the LoC in Kashmir will also be raised during the parleys with India’s keenness to build on the progress made earlier through the composite dialogue and back channel diplomacy, they said. Sources maintained that willingness from Pakistan to do so will surely be a “trust building step.” Emphasising that Pakistan needs to tackle terror emanating from its soil against India, the sources said it complicates the complex relationship between the two countries. Maintaining that information about possible attacks on Indian nationals never cease reflecting a continued problem in the relationship, the sources said it was Pakistan’s responsibility to ensure that groups should not be able to carry out such attacks.