Steering clear of controversial issues like action against 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed, New Delhi set the ball rolling for furthering the peace dialogue and reducing the “trust deficit” with Islamabad at the talks between home secretary G.K. Pillai and Pakistan’s interior secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, which ended here on Tuesday.
Pakistan, on its part, has given “in-principle” consent for a commission from India to visit that country for investigations into the Mumbai terror attack. The move, based on the principle of “comity and reciprocity” but limited to the 26/11 investigations, has come after New Delhi conveyed to Islamabad its readiness to allow a judicial commission from that country to visit India by May 15 to interview key witnesses in connection with the trial of seven Pakistani suspects in the 26/11 Mumbai attack case. New Delhi, however, is yet to decide the composition of the commission it proposes to send, for which the modalities will be worked out through diplomatic channels.
A joint statement towards the end of the talks said the home secretaries will now meet twice a year. Also, in the first such move of its kind, a hotline is also being set up between the two home secretaries to facilitate real-time information sharing on terror threats. Sources said the proposal came from the Pakistani side when Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik met Mr Pillai in the run-up to the talks.
Both sides will exchange a complete list of prisoners in each other’s custody on July 1, 2011. The sources said around 150 Indian fishermen held in Pakistani prisons were expected to be released by April 15, while India was expected to release 29 Pakistani prisoners as soon as possible.
“Both sides commended the work done by the Judicial Committee on Prisoners for the release, repatriation and humane treatment of prisoners and agreed on the need for its continuation. The next meeting of the committee will be held from April 19 to 23 in Pakistan,” the statement said.
A joint working group will be set up to review the bilateral visa agreement to make it liberal for senior citizens, people coming for medical treatment, journalists and businessmen. Relaxation is expected to be given on account of giving Pakistanis multiple city visa, the sources said. The review was expected to be completed in 180 days. The Indian side also proposed to relax norms for people who have a valid visa and want to travel again within two years by removing the time-consuming security background check, being done from here. The Indian high commission in Pakistan will be empowered to issue necessary permissions to such travellers, the sources said.
Mr Pillai described the talks as “extremely positive”, and added: “We have moved forward in reducing the trust deficit significantly,” he said.
In a significant gesture, the Indian side “provided information on the ongoing Samjhauta Express blast case investigation”. It was also agreed that after filing of the report in the court, updated information will be shared with the concerned Pakistani authorities.
The joint statement does not, however, make any mention of cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir or contain India’s repeated call for bringing to book the perpetrators of the 26/11 attacks. It nevertheless reiterated the commitment of both sides to fight terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and also reaffirmed the need to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice.
Pakistan’s Twitter-savvy interior minister Rehman Malik on Tuesday thanked home minister P. Chidambaram, whom he addressed as “brother”, for the successful conclusion of the home secretary-level talks.
Mr Pillai, on his part, got assurances from his counterpart, Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, that Pakistan will take the necessary steps to make available voice samples of the 26/11 handlers in that country.
The joint statement also said that India’s National Investigation Agency and Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency will continue to cooperate in the Mumbai terror attack investigations.
Further, both sides agreed to hold talks between the directors-general of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau and Pankistan’s Anti-Narcotics Force annually. India accepted the invitation for the NCB chief to visit Pakistan in May.
Both sides also agreed to task the Indian Coast Guard and Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency to work on setting up a mechanism for release of inadvertent crossers (fishermen) and their boats on the same lines as inadvertent crossers on land, it said. The group will submit its report by the next round of talks between the two home secretaries.