Thimphu, February 5 (Agencies): Making a fresh attempt to restart the bilateral dialogue process, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir will meet here tomorrow during which the Indian side is expected to seek an update on the Mumbai attacks investigations and trial. Rao and Bashir, who are here for the SAARC meeting of Foreign Secretaries and Council of Ministers, are expected to take stock of the bilateral ties and discuss whether some confidence-building initiatives could be taken.
This will be the first meeting between the Foreign Secretaries after the failed talks between the Foreign Ministers in July last year in Pakistan. India, while keeping low the expectations from the meeting, has made it clear that it was ready to have discussions on all outstanding issues with Pakistan but through a step-by-step approach. The resumption of full-fledged dialogue, which was stalled after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, would, however, depend on the progress by Pakistan to punish all those behind the 26/11 strikes, sources said. At tomorrow’s meeting, Rao is expected to seek an update from Bashir on the investigations and trial in the Mumbai attacks case in Pakistan.
She is also expected to seek a response from Bashir on India’s request for voice samples of the persons in Pakistan who were heard coordinating the 26/11 attacks. Setting the tone for the meeting, Rao said yesterday in Delhi, “We hope that both the governments come to satisfactory conclusion about what is required so that the trial could be satisfactorily concluded because justice has to be done.” She made the comments after meeting Home Minister P Chidambaram during which they are understood to have discussed issues related to the Mumbai attacks.
Noting that 26/11 trial in Pakistan was “one of the issues under discussion between the two governments, particularly between the Interior Ministry of Pakistan and our Home Ministry,” she said New Delhi and Islamabad have been in correspondence about the exchange of evidence that is required for the trial to go forward. On her meeting with Bashir, she said India will see how it can pick up the thread once again. “We are going to meet after a certain interregnum, a few months after last meeting. So, we will see how we can pick up the thread once again. I am sure we will exchange ideas. Let’s hope that we would be able to pick up convergence of views. Every such meeting is an attempt to build greater comprehension of each other’s position and deeper understanding,” the Foreign Secretary said.
This will be the first meeting between the Foreign Secretaries after the failed talks between the Foreign Ministers in July last year in Pakistan. India, while keeping low the expectations from the meeting, has made it clear that it was ready to have discussions on all outstanding issues with Pakistan but through a step-by-step approach. The resumption of full-fledged dialogue, which was stalled after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, would, however, depend on the progress by Pakistan to punish all those behind the 26/11 strikes, sources said. At tomorrow’s meeting, Rao is expected to seek an update from Bashir on the investigations and trial in the Mumbai attacks case in Pakistan.
She is also expected to seek a response from Bashir on India’s request for voice samples of the persons in Pakistan who were heard coordinating the 26/11 attacks. Setting the tone for the meeting, Rao said yesterday in Delhi, “We hope that both the governments come to satisfactory conclusion about what is required so that the trial could be satisfactorily concluded because justice has to be done.” She made the comments after meeting Home Minister P Chidambaram during which they are understood to have discussed issues related to the Mumbai attacks.
Noting that 26/11 trial in Pakistan was “one of the issues under discussion between the two governments, particularly between the Interior Ministry of Pakistan and our Home Ministry,” she said New Delhi and Islamabad have been in correspondence about the exchange of evidence that is required for the trial to go forward. On her meeting with Bashir, she said India will see how it can pick up the thread once again. “We are going to meet after a certain interregnum, a few months after last meeting. So, we will see how we can pick up the thread once again. I am sure we will exchange ideas. Let’s hope that we would be able to pick up convergence of views. Every such meeting is an attempt to build greater comprehension of each other’s position and deeper understanding,” the Foreign Secretary said.
Pak PM calls for “meaningful” dialogue on Kashmir
Islamabad, February 5 (PTI): Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today asked India to hold a “meaningful” dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue, which he contended was at the centre of tensions in South Asia. “I urge India to enter into a meaningful and result-oriented dialogue with Pakistan on the issue of Jammu & Kashmir,” Gilani said in a message read out at a joint session of the legislative assembly and council of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in Muzaffarabad.
India’s refusal to implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions has blocked the way to a durable peace in the region, contended Gilani, who was scheduled to address the joint session but had to cancel his visit to Muzaffarabad due to bad weather and poor visibility. Gilani offered Pakistan’s “unconditional willingness” to discuss all issues, including the issue of Kashmir, with India. He said sincerity and seriousness should remain the basic fundamentals of the dialogue process and that the participation of Kashmiris is essential for any effort to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Gilani also reiterated the pledge of the Pakistani people to “continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination.” Gilani’s remarks came a day ahead of a scheduled meeting between the foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of a SAARC meet in Bhutan. The top diplomats are expected to discuss ways to revive the stalled peace process between the 2 countries.
Gilani said: “We cannot ignore the responsibility in addressing the miseries and sufferings of innocent people”. Pakistan remains firmly committed to its principled stance on Kashmir based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions, he said. “The Kashmir dispute remains close to the heart of every Pakistani and the future of both Pakistan and Kashmir is linked,” he added. He said the alleged rights violations in Kashmir have been observed by the international community and noted by the world media. “The Jammu & Kashmir issue remains an unfulfilled agenda of the United Nations,” he said. Gilani claimed the “struggle” in Jammu & Kashmir was the result of “human rights abuses perpetrated by the Indian security forces.” He added: “The peaceful indigenous and widespread uprising of the Kashmiri people has demonstrated that the issue of Jammu & Kashmir cannot be ignored”.
India’s refusal to implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions has blocked the way to a durable peace in the region, contended Gilani, who was scheduled to address the joint session but had to cancel his visit to Muzaffarabad due to bad weather and poor visibility. Gilani offered Pakistan’s “unconditional willingness” to discuss all issues, including the issue of Kashmir, with India. He said sincerity and seriousness should remain the basic fundamentals of the dialogue process and that the participation of Kashmiris is essential for any effort to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Gilani also reiterated the pledge of the Pakistani people to “continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to Kashmiris in their just struggle for the right to self-determination.” Gilani’s remarks came a day ahead of a scheduled meeting between the foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan on the sidelines of a SAARC meet in Bhutan. The top diplomats are expected to discuss ways to revive the stalled peace process between the 2 countries.
Gilani said: “We cannot ignore the responsibility in addressing the miseries and sufferings of innocent people”. Pakistan remains firmly committed to its principled stance on Kashmir based on relevant UN Security Council resolutions, he said. “The Kashmir dispute remains close to the heart of every Pakistani and the future of both Pakistan and Kashmir is linked,” he added. He said the alleged rights violations in Kashmir have been observed by the international community and noted by the world media. “The Jammu & Kashmir issue remains an unfulfilled agenda of the United Nations,” he said. Gilani claimed the “struggle” in Jammu & Kashmir was the result of “human rights abuses perpetrated by the Indian security forces.” He added: “The peaceful indigenous and widespread uprising of the Kashmiri people has demonstrated that the issue of Jammu & Kashmir cannot be ignored”.
India lacks courage to unearth role of Hindu extremists: Pak
Islamabad, February 5 (Agencies): On the eve of Foreign Secretary-level talks in Thimphu, Pakistan today came out with a provocative statement saying that India’s handling of the Samjhauta Express train bombing case showed that it lacked “courage to unearth culpability of Hindu extremists”. “India seems to be lacking courage to unearth culpability of Hindu extremists and their links with some Indian Army personnel,” Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said in a statement that may not go down well with New Delhi.
India’s handling of the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing case “doesn’t inspire much hope”, he said. The spokesman emphasised that India “needs to bridge the gap between what it says and what it does”. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in the Bhutanese capital tomorrow to make a fresh attempt to restart the bilateral dialogue process stalled since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Indian side is expected to seek an update from Pakistan on the Mumbai attacks investigations and trial. This will be the first meeting between the Foreign Secretaries after the failed talks between the Foreign Ministers in July last year in Pakistan.
Pakistan has been calling for action against those responsible for bombing the cross-border train ever since RSS leader Swami Aseemanand recently confessed to a special court in India about the involvement of Sangh activists in several terror attacks, including the assault on the Samjhauta train that runs between the two countries. Basit said it was “unfortunate that India, which uses terrorism as propaganda against Pakistan, has still not been able to complete its investigations into the Samjhauta Express blasts”.
India’s handling of the 2007 Samjhauta Express bombing case “doesn’t inspire much hope”, he said. The spokesman emphasised that India “needs to bridge the gap between what it says and what it does”. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will meet her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir in the Bhutanese capital tomorrow to make a fresh attempt to restart the bilateral dialogue process stalled since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The Indian side is expected to seek an update from Pakistan on the Mumbai attacks investigations and trial. This will be the first meeting between the Foreign Secretaries after the failed talks between the Foreign Ministers in July last year in Pakistan.
Pakistan has been calling for action against those responsible for bombing the cross-border train ever since RSS leader Swami Aseemanand recently confessed to a special court in India about the involvement of Sangh activists in several terror attacks, including the assault on the Samjhauta train that runs between the two countries. Basit said it was “unfortunate that India, which uses terrorism as propaganda against Pakistan, has still not been able to complete its investigations into the Samjhauta Express blasts”.
