NEW DELHI, May 1: Pakistani officials arrived here on Monday to begin talks aimed at improving transport links between Islamabad and New Delhi, officials said.
A seven-member delegation led by Syed Ibne Abbas, the foreign ministry’s director general for South Asia, will start the two-day talks with Indian officials on Tuesday, a foreign ministry statement said.
The delegation comprises representatives from ministries of foreign affairs, commerce, interior and defence as well as a senior official of the AJK government.
Outgoing deputy high commissioner to India Munawar Saeed and newly appointed Deputy High Commissioner M. Afrasiab will also attend the talks.
The Indian side will be led by Dilip Sinha, joint secretary (Pakistan desk) at the external affairs ministry.
The two sides will discuss a proposed truck service for trade on a Kashmir bus route which was opened for passengers last year between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad.
The discussions will also cover the launch of a new passenger bus service between Poonch in Indian-held Kashmir and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) city of Rawalkot.
“The talks will cover the arrangements for the operationalisation of the truck service for trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, the commencement of a bus service between Poonch and Rawalkot and establishment of two meeting points along the LoC,” the statement said.
Pakistan and India started a series of talks two years ago, which have resulted in new train and bus services.
The decision to start a truck service for trade and the launch of a Rawalakot-Poonch bus link was taken at the summit talks between Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here in April last year.—Agencies
