Terrorism expected to be key issue in run-up to FM level talks

Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jun 25 (PTI) Finding common ground in
efforts to tackle terrorism is expected to be a key issue in
the run-up to the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of India
and Pakistan next month despite the positive outcome of the
Foreign Secretary-level talks, diplomatic sources said Friday.
During talks between Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama
Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir Thursday, the
Indian side raised a number of terrorism-related issues,
including the trial of Pakistani suspects linked to the 2008
Mumbai attacks, a spike in infiltrations across the Line of
Control and activities of groups like the Lashker-e-Taiba and
its front Jamaat-ud-Dawah.
At her joint news conference with Bashir, Rao made it
clear India's "core concerns on terrorism" were articulated
during the talks and that both countries "must deny terrorist
elements any opportunity to derail the process of improvement
of relations".
Sources said that the Indian side made it clear during
the talks that the trial in Pakistan of seven terror suspects
linked to the Mumbai attacks, including LeT operations
commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, should proceed and "justice
should be done".
This, the Indian side said, is necessary because
public opinion in India is still "agitated" over the carnage
in the financial hub.
The Indian side also referred to an increase in
numbers of militants sneaking across the Line of Control in
the northernmost Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and a spike
in ceasefire violations along frontiers in the Himalayan
state, describing them as developments that went against
trust-building, the sources said.
While the Indian side acknowledged the dangers faced
by Pakistan due to the presence of a "terrorism-infested
environment", it informed the Pakistani officials that their
drive against militant and terrorist groups should have a
"non-segmented approach".
In other words, the Pakistani side could not ignore
banned groups like the LeT while targeting the Taliban and
their allies, the sources said.
India also stressed on the need to rein in LeT founder
and JuD chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, whose "virulently
anti-India rhetoric" is not conducive to efforts to build
peace, the sources said.
Though the Pakistani side maintained its stand that it
did not have enough evidence to act against Saeed, an Indian
source said: "They have to find the means to stop the
propaganda at least."
The JuD has stepped up its anti-India campaign in
recent months, particularly on the emotive issue of sharing of
river waters. MORE PTI RHL
RDM


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