ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: A nine-member delegation headed by Pakistan’s foreign secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan will leave for Delhi on Monday for talks with India on key issues of peace and security as well as Jammu and Kashmir.
The two-day talks to begin on Tuesday will mark the resumption of the stalled composite dialogue, considered an integral part of the ongoing Indo-Pakistan peace process.
The Pakistani delegation will leave from Lahore, and comprises additional secretary (Asia Pacific) Akhtar Tufail, additional secretary (UN) Tariq Osman Hyder, director-general (South Asia) Jalil Abbas
Jilani, director-general (UN) and spokesperson Tasnim Aslam, director (India) Irfan Ahmad, director (Kashmir Affairs), Mariam Aftab, director (Foreign Secretary’s Office) Moin-ul Haq, and assistant director (India) Qamar Abbas.
Till Sunday evening the delegation members were at the Foreign Office preparing for the talks.
Pakistan’s outgoing High Commissioner to India Mr. Aziz Ahmed Khan and new High Commissioner-designate Mr Shahid Malik will also join the delegation in Delhi.
According to diplomatic sources during his stay in Delhi Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammad Khan will separately call on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. His meeting with Kashmiri leaders including Syed Ali Geelani is also planned.
Meanwhile, in the official circles there appears to be guarded optimism regarding the outcome of the talks that would focus on Jammu and Kashmir which remains the core issue between Pakistan and India.
While no major breakthrough is expected on this front, there are modest expectations of some movement on Siachen and Sir Creek besides a number of agreements on CBMs.—QA
