Pakistan, India agree to set up ‘terror hotline’

[Water Car Engineer]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India agreed on Tuesday to set up a “terror hotline” to warn each other of possible terrorist attacks, a move to build trust as the two countries get their peace process back on track.

Civil servants in charge of security issues ended two days of talks in New Delhi, seeking to rebuild trust after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. “Both sides agreed to set up a hotline between the interior secretaries to facilitate real-time information sharing with respect to terrorist threats,” said India’s Home Secretary Shri Gopal K Pillai and Pakistan’s Interior Secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry after the talks.

The two sides also agreed on continuing to “remain engaged on outstanding issues” by meeting bi-annually, said a joint statement issued after the meeting. Both the sides also updated each other on the ongoing investigation in the Mumbai terror attacks and the Samjhota Express blast.

Pakistan agreed to host Indian investigators looking into the Mumbai attacks. “Modalities and composition in this connection will be worked out through diplomatic channels,” the statement said and added that Pakistan conveyed its readiness, in principle, based upon the principle of comity and reciprocity. Similarly, the dates for the visit of the judicial commission from Pakistan in connection with the Mumbai attack trial will be conveyed by India within four to six weeks. Both India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will continue to cooperate in the Mumbai attacks probe.

India provided information on the on-going Samjhautha Express blast case investigation and the two sides agreed that after filing of report in the court, updated information would be shared with the Pakistani authorities concerned.

The two sides also reiterated their commitment to fighting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and reaffirmed the need to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice.

Both the sides noted and welcomed the release of prisoners and fishermen by each other since the last round of talks and agreed that they would release by April 15 those civilian prisoners and fishermen who have completed their sentence, whose nationality status has been confirmed by the respective governments and whose travel documents have been received. Complete list of prisoners in each other’s custody will be exchanged on July 1.

“The talks are extremely positive. We have moved forward and the trust deficit has reduced,” the Indian home secretary told reporters.

The interior secretary invited Pillai for the next home and interior secretary level talks in Pakistan, which was accepted. Both sides agreed that the visit of the Pakistan’s interior minister to India would take place on mutually convenient dates, to be decided through diplomatic channels.

The meeting also noted with concern the growing menace of narcotics and drugs, and agreed that cooperation between the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India and the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) of Pakistan should be enhanced to ensure an effective control on drug trafficking.

The two secretaries agreed that the problem and issues of the inadvertent crossers should be viewed sympathetically, and in a focused and sensitive manner. In this regard, they agreed to task the Coast Guard of India and Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency to work on a mechanism for release of inadvertent crossers on the same lines as the inadvertent crossers on land.

The meeting between the two interior secretaries was held in pursuance of the decision taken in Thimphu, Bhutan, in February by the two governments to resume the dialogue process and in the backdrop of bilateral meeting between the Indian home minister and Pakistan’s interior minister in Islamabad on June 25. agencies

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

 

[no_name]

Well it's a good step forward.

 

[mikkix]

Gr8.

 

[Farooq]

If this helps improve our relations with India then this is great !

 

[DesiGuy]

for long.....days....weeks.....?

 

[zurich]

Ithink hotline is already their since Musharraf was president to the level of DGMO