Pak-India Home Secretaries discussed less controversial issues

New Delhi, Apr 4 (PTI) India and Pakistan had decided to
keep aside controversial issues like terror camps in PoK,
infiltration or Balochistan at the Home Secretary-level talks
and discuss liberal visa regime and release of prisoners to
create a positive atmosphere for last month's meeting of Prime
Ministers at north Indian city of Mohali.
This was the informal agreement between New Delhi and
Islamabad before the beginning of the Home Secretary-level
talks between the two countries held here on March 28 and 29.
"There was an informal agreement between the two sides at
the inset that since it was the first Indo-Pak bilateral
meeting after the 26/11 terror attack, we should concentrate
on less controversial issues to create a positive atmosphere
before the two Prime ministers' meeting," an official privy to
the meeting said.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Premier Yusuf
Raza Gilani met a day after the Home Secretary level talks at
Mohali on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council
World Cup cricket semi final between the two countries.
Though there were discussions on controversial issues like
the continuation of terror infrastructure in Pakistan occupied
Kashmir, infiltration from across the border or alleged Indian
involvement in Balochistan, these were kept aside for in-depth
deliberations for later meetings or for discussions at
different forums.
"So some issues would be discussed at the next Home
Secretary-level talks, possibly in September, or at the level
of Foreign Secretaries or Foreign Ministers," the official
said.
However, there was a realisation on the part of the
Pakistani delegation to show flexibility and agree for a
reference being made to the Mumbai terror attack case and its
progress in Pakistan in the joint statement.
"When the Indian side agreed to the Pakistan's proposal to
send a commission to India in connection with 26/11 case, the
Pakistani delegation too reciprocated by agreeing to accept an
Indian commission to that country, which sent a positive
signal for the two Prime Ministers' meeting," the official
said.
The Pakistan side conveyed that they would inform the
court, where the 26/11 trial is going on, the Indian decision
to receive the Pakistani commission and request it to
constitute the panel soon for its travel to India.
"The Indian decision also ensured that LeT operative
Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and his seven other accomplices would
continue to remain in jail," he said.
Pakistan Home Secretary Chaudhary Qamar Zaman and Home
Secretary Gopal K Pillai met for two days on March 28 and 29.