DHAKA, Nov 11: Leaders of Pakistan and India will discuss the Kashmir peace process on the sidelines of a regional summit in the Bangladesh capital this weekend, a senior Pakistani official said on Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Pakistan premier Shaukat Aziz for talks on Saturday on the sidelines of the Saarc summit, said Foreign Secretary Riaz Mohammed Khan.

As in “almost all meetings, especially those at summit level, Kashmir is expected to come up for discussion,” Mr Khan told reporters.

Notably, India hinted the recent bombings in its capital that killed 62 people were carried out by militants with possible links to Pakistan.

Mr Khan said Pakistan condemned the blasts and promised to assist India’s investigation in any way it could.

But he said this depended on “solid evidence provided to us” and none had yet been forthcoming from India.—AFP

Qudssia Akhlaque adds from Islamabad: Kashmir and terrorism will be major talking points between Prime Minister Aziz and Dr Singh, it is learnt.

Key aides of both leaders will be present at the meeting to be held at a posh hotel in the Bangladeshi capital. The two leaders will review the progress made in the Indo-Pakistan Composite Dialogue that enters its third round in January 2006.

Sources said the Aziz-Singh meeting would have an ‘open agenda’ and cover a range of bilateral and Saarc-related issues.

“Anything and everything can be discussed,” is how a foreign ministry official put it, adding that issues of Jammu and Kashmir, peace and security and economic cooperation would be discussed. On top of the agenda will be the Jammu and Kashmir issue, informed sources maintained, saying that demilitarization of the entire Kashmir region, as advocated by President Gen Pervez Musharraf, is also likely to come up for discussion.

India’s controversial Kishanganga project, Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, Pakistan’s long-standing claim over the Jinnah House in Mumbai and Mr Singh’s pending visit to Islamabad are also expected to figure in the talks.

According to insiders, Prime Minister Aziz will emphasize the need for keeping the dialogue focused to make headway on substantive issues.

“The prime minister will underscore the need for trust-building rather than eroding it through indulgence in antagonistic rhetoric and tactics to create media hype,” an informed source told Dawn.