The two sides have decided to meet regularly four times each year to exchange information which would help in preventing terror strikes in both countries.
NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan wrapped up the first meeting of the joint anti-terror mechanism with the announcement that the two sides would meet regularly four times each year to exchange information which would help in preventing terror strikes in both countries.
In a joint statement, released at the end of the two-day talks on Wednesday, the two countries promised to share “specific information” through the joint terror mechanism. Though the schedule for the meeting is every three months, information required on priority basis would be immediately conveyed to the respective heads of the mechanism.
The decision for regular exchange of information is a small step forward in tackling an extremely sensitive issue, considering that New Delhi has long charged Islamabad of helping anti-India outfits to launch attacks into the Indian heartland.
New Delhi sees a Pakistan hand behind every terror strike in India. In fact, after the Mumbai railway blasts, India directly accused Pakistan, but has so far not been able to provide clinching evidence.
Islamabad too has had its volley of charges against India, accusing it of stirring up trouble in Balochistan. Pakistani officials said at the meeting that Indian consulates in Afghanistan were being used to destabilise the province. Apart from the embassy in Kabul, India has consulates in Herat, Jalalabad, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif.
Navtej Sarna, India’s foreign office spokesperson denied any involvement. “I would like to clearly say that India has nothing to do with developments in Balochistan. Our consulates in Afghanistan are helping the re-construction of the country, destroyed during decades of fighting. The people of Afghanistan know and appreciate India’s efforts to rebuild their country,” Sarna said.
The anti-terror meet in Islamabad took place soon after the terror attack on Samjhauta Express, in which several Pakistani nationals were killed. Islamabad had wanted a joint investigation of the strike, but New Delhi made it clear from the beginning that it was opposed to the idea. External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, however, promised to share details of the investigations during this meeting.
Indian investigations have so far not progressed very much. Islamabad was not amused when the Indian team handed over the photograph of a Pakistani national suspected by police. Pakistan, however, said that the suspect was missing since 2006 and they had no information about where he was living now.
The decision to jointly combat terror was taken in Havana on September 16 last year by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf.
In fact, this meeting helped to revive the peace talks which had been postponed soon after the Mumbai blasts.
The Prime Minister was criticised by the BJP as well as other hardliners, both within and outside the government, for wasting time in talking of terror by those sponsoring attacks against India. However, the Prime Minister decided to go ahead and give peace a chance.
“The success or failure of the talks, will depend on results on the ground. Without both sides cooperating these quarterly meetings will be a waste of time,” says an Indian official who did not wish to be identified.
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