ISLAMABAD, Feb 28: Civil Aviation authorities of Pakistan and India will meet in New Delhi next week in an attempt to reach an agreement on additional destinations, carriers and increase in frequency of flights between the two countries.

Announcing the dates of the meeting a Foreign Ministry statement on Tuesday said Pakistan-India Civil Aviations talks under the Composite Dialogue format to review the existing bilateral air services agreement would be held in New Delhi on March 7-8.

“The discussions would be aimed at exploring the possibilities of increase in the existing destinations, airlines and frequency of flights between the two countries,” the statement said.

Maj Gen (retd) Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence, will be leading a six-member delegation that would include Joint Secretary of the Civil Aviation Authority.

The delegation will leave for New Delhi on Monday.

The last round of Pakistan-India Civil Aviations talks held in Rawalpindi in September 2005 remained inconclusive.

The sticking point was that while India insisted on multiple private sector carriers, Pakistan wanted additional destinations and increase in frequency of flights.

However, this time around there appears to be optimism on both sides to move forward a bit on all fronts.

Chennai and Islamabad are among the likely new destinations on which the two sides may reach an agreement, informed sources told Dawn. While Pakistan is keen on Chennai, India is on Islamabad.

Under the existing Pakistan-India air services agreement, formalised in mid Seventies, the destinations covered are New Delhi, Lahore, Karachi, and Mumbai. At present only the national flag carriers operate on these sectors, no private sector airlines are allowed.

Apparently India is eager to get the green signal for multiple private sector carriers but Pakistan favours limited airlines.

However, officials remain hopeful of some breakthrough with a little give and take on both sides.