December 21, 2003	Sunday	Shawwal 26, 1424

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WAGAH, Dec 20: Pakistani and Indian officials resumed routine talks on Saturday on border issues that had been suspended for two years because of tensions between the two neighbouring countries, officials said.

An eight-member delegation from India’s Border Security Force crossed into Pakistan for the talks, which had been held monthly before they were suspended.

The commander of the Wagah border post, Col Sher Zaman, presented his Indian counterpart Darbar Singh with a bouquet on his arrival.

“It is a very pleasant moment that both the sides have started (border) talks that remained suspended for two years,” Mr Singh told AFP.

The monthly talks are held to discuss and coordinate routine affairs like border crossings, boundary pillars, the movement of cattle and patrolling.

They were suspended following an attack on Indian parliament in Dec 2001, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based freedom fighters fighting Indian rule in held Kashmir. Pakistan denied the charges.—AFP