ISLAMABAD, Sept 20: The campaigners of Track-2 diplomacy will take up the Kashmir issue on Dec 3 in New Delhi, informed sources say. They told Dawn on Monday that President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had mandated their groups of former bureaucrats, intellectuals and former generals to help governments in discussing various options on Kashmir.

The two countries are likely to support a focused approach of territorial readjustment, rather than pursuing communal thinking, by agreeing on a solution acceptable to all the three parties of the conflict— Pakistan, India and the Kashmiris.

At the New Delhi talks, former secretary foreign affairs Niaz A. Niak will head Pakistani team, comprising General K.M. Arif (retd), Lt-Gen Nishat Ahmad (retd), Maj-Gen Ghulam Omar (retd), former Sindh governor Ashraf Tabani, former secretary finance H.U. Baig, former law minister Ms Shahida Jamil and Prof Khalida Ghous of the Karachi University.

The Indian side will be led by former secretary external affairs Rasgotra. The delegation will include former deputy chief of Naval Staff K.K. Nayar, Prof Mateen Zubari and others.

When contacted, Mr Niak confirmed that he and his Indian counterpart Mr Rasgotra would be taking up the Kashmir issue in the light of the discussions held earlier between President Pervez Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“It is not true to presume that there was any failure or breakdown in talks between the two leaders in New York,” he claimed. The fact of the matter, he said, was that there were ‘good developments’ which might not have been thought appropriate to be shared with the media in New York.

In reply to a question, he said back door diplomacy was succeeding with the full support of the two governments.

“Yes, we would now be discussing various options on Kashmir,” he said, adding that before leaving for India, he and his colleagues would meet the president.

Asked about a specific option that could resolve the Kashmir problem, the former foreign secretary said he could not discuss it right now. When pressed, he said Chenab formula and the one proposed by the American Study Group along with a couple of other options could become a basis for any solution.

In reply to a question, Mr Niak said he would likely to reach New Delhi on Dec 2, or in the first week of the month to hold meetings with former Indian bureaucrats, generals and intellectuals.

“I would also be meeting with Indian Minister for External Affairs Natwar Singh who wants us to be in Delhi during Dec 2-10,” the former secretary foreign affairs said.

He said issues like internal developments in India and Pakistan, terrorism and matters pertaining to improving trade and investment ties between the two countries would also come up for discussion.

The followers of Track-2 diplomacy, he said, always preferred to be away from the print and electronic media with a view to avoid speculation. This would be the 25th session of the Track-2 which was first held in Neem Rana fort in the Hariana state of East Punjab many years ago.