New Delhi, Feb 23: Marking the first step in the resumption of the stalled dialogue process, Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan will hold talks here on March 28 and 29 on a range of issues “covering terrorism and progress in 26/11 trial.”
This will be the first structured bilateral Secretary- level meeting on counter-terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume comprehensive talks.
Islamabad has conveyed to New Delhi its consent to the meeting after Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai extended the invitation to Pakistan Interior Secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman last week. India had proposed two sets of dates - March 21-22 and March 28-29.
More than two years after India had suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks in November, 2008, the two sides decided to resume comprehensive dialogue on all outstanding issues.
The meeting is expected to discuss counter-terrorism, including progress in Mumbai attacks trial.
Pillai last week told PTI that India will ask Pakistan about the progress made in that country on the 26/11 investigations.
Meanwhile, India Wednesday said the involvement of State actors in Pakistan with militant groups has come to light on a number of occasions, including in the 26/11 attacks.
“Inputs from central security agencies and through various open sources confirm that militant infrastructure continues to exist in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir by way of numerous training camps, communication centres and launching pads,” Minister of State for Home Gurudas Kamat told Rajya Sabha in reply to a question.
He said that “involvement of State actors with these outfits has come to light on a number of occasions and also in 26/11 attacks in Mumbai”.
The Minister said government continues to be alert to these threats and has re-calibrated its measures to combat terrorism by way of reviewing threat perceptions and a number of important decisions and measures have been taken.
Theses steps include augmenting the strength of central paramilitary forces, effective border management through border fencing, flood lighting, deployment of surveillance equipment, legally enabling deployment of CISF in joint venture and private industrial undertakings, establishment of NSG hubs at Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Mumbai and tighter immigration control.

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Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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