Pakistan foreign secy reaches India for 5th round of talks

July 21st, 2008 Aimon · No Comments

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir arrived in India on Sunday via the Atari border to initiate the fifth round of the composite dialogue process between Pakistan and India.

“I have come to India to hold talks with my Indian counterpart on the issues of peace and security of both neighbouring countries, including Jammu and Kashmir,” Bashir told reporters at an Indian airport. He said Pakistan would hold talks with India with an open and positive mind. He said he was expecting good results from the meeting slated for Monday in the larger interests of both nations, adding, “we want a peaceful atmosphere on both sides.” He said discussions would also be held regarding the release of prisoners and trade between the two countries.

According to sources, Bashir met opposition leader and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate LK Advani and Kashmiri leaders. They said the foreign secretary held separate meetings with the moderate Hurriyat faction and JKLF leader Muhammad Yasin Malik at the Pakistan High Commission. Sources said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led the Hurriyat delegation, which included Shabbir Ahmed Shah and Sheikh Abdul Aziz. They said the hardline faction led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani seemed to have rejected the invitation to meet Bashir as no representative of the faction had arrived in India despite invitations sent by the Pakistan High Commission.