The 26/11 Mumbai attacks was the elephant in the room but the home secretaries of India and Pakistan did not allow it to impede progress on humanitarian issues such as the plight of prisoners and liberalisation of visas, which hold out the promise of furthering people-to-people contacts and encouraging civil society interactions.
Union home secretary G.K. Pillai described the over five-hour-long talks Monday as positive and said that they were moving in the right direction. His Pakistani counterpart, Chaudhry Qamar Zaman, echoed similar sentiments after emerging from the venue of the talks at Ashok Hotel that was described as the “friendship lounge”.
There was another day of talks to go, at the end of which a joint statement was likely, and many more issues remaining to be discussed. But Mr Zaman insisted to journalists that “a very positive attitude (was) displayed on both sides and I am really confident about tomorrow’s proceedings also”.
The sources maintained that the talks were “substantive” and “free and frank”. “The talks were held according to what was decided on the sidelines in Thimphu. Some decisions have been taken. Further progress is expected on issues of mutual concern,” an official said.
The joint statement can be expected to outline the resolve of the two countries to combat terrorism and mention steps to enhance people-to-people contacts, including, but not limited to, a liberal visa regime.
Both sides were understood to have come close to reviving the joint judicial committee, constituted in 2007 to survey the condition of prisoners lodged in jails in either countries and press for the repatriation of those booked for minor offences such as crossing the border and violating visas. The eight-member committee, consisting of retired Supreme Court and high court judges from India and Pakistan was expected to get a fresh lease of life and it was expected to make a visit to Pakistan soon.
While dossiers containing the names of terror suspects and wanted persons hiding in each other’s territory were exchanged, India was believed to have iterated its demand for quick progress in the ongoing trial in Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of the 26 November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai to justice, and for the voice samples of the Pakistani handlers of the 26/11 terrorists. Also, India wants to send a commission to Pakistan to question the jailed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) terrorists, including Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, in return for allowing a judicial commission from Pakistan to visit India for questioning the investigating officer of the 26/11 probe and the judge of the trial court. Fake Indian currency being pumped into India from Pakistan, cross-border infiltration, and terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were some of the other issues raised by the Indian side.
For its part, Pakistan was keen to learn about the progress of investigation into the Samjhauta Express train blasts case. Mr Pillai was understood to have told his Pakistani counterpart that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) was probing it, and any details could be shared after a chargesheet was filed in the case. A majority of the 68 persons killed in the blasts were from Pakistan.
The tone and tenor of the discussions indicated that both sides were keen to set a positive tone for Wednesday’s meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Mr Yousaf Raza Gilani, when they would exchange views on mutual interest before reaching the Mohali cricket stadium for the World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan.
Mr Gilani said he has accepted Prime Minister Singh’s invitation “in national interest”. He was reported to have told a Cabinet meeting in Islamabad Monday that it was a timely opportunity for the two governments to show to the world that they can play together and sit and deliberate together on issues of national importance.
For his part, Dr Singh has staked a lot on improvement of ties with Pakistan in spite of criticism from within a section of his own party. The outcomes of his conversations with Mr Gilani and the series of official-level talks planned over the next few months would determine whether Dr Singh can make the journey to Pakistan.
Mr Gilani was expected to reach Chandigarh Wednesday morning. Besides the talks, Prime Minister Singh was expected to host a dinner for Mr Gilani in the evening. A host of VVIPs were expected to watch the match at Mohali.