ISLAMABAD, Jan 6: Pakistan and India are likely to sign four agreements aimed at building confidence during Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s first official visit here next week, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Saturday.

A key agreement on ‘reducing risk of nuclear accidents or unauthorised use of nuclear weapons’ which had been under discussion since August 2005 would be initialled by the foreign ministers of the two countries, said the sources.

The two sides had finalised the agreement during the foreign secretary-level talks in Delhi in November last.

Other agreements that are on the cards relate to revised visa regime, speedy repatriation of inadvertent border-crossers and quarterly flag meetings between sector commanders at the Line of Control.

According to informed sources, Mr Mukherjee is also likely to indicate dates for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Pakistan that many believe would be a major confidence-building measure.Mr Mukherjee will be leading an eight-member delegation to Islamabad to discuss with his Pakistani counterpart the vital issues of peace and security as well as Jammu and Kashmir. The delegation will comprise senior officials of the Indian External Affairs Ministry including Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Iran & Afghanistan) Dilip Sinha, Joint Secretary Saarc and the ministry’s spokesperson Navtej Sarna.

During Mr Mukherjee’s meeting with Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri, detailed discussions would be held on the various proposals for a settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Siachen issue to narrow down differences, officials here said.

Trade, trans-Kashmir truck service, terrorism, issue of prisoners and re-opening of consulates in Mumbai and Karachi would also figure in the discussions, they said.

The Indian external affairs minister is scheduled to arrive here midday on January 13 and would leave for Delhi around same time the following day.

During his stay in the capital, he will call on President General Pervez Musharraf and extend an invitation to him to attend the 14th Saarc Summit being hosted by India in April. He will also call on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

A 10-member media team will also travel with Mr Mukherjee aboard his special aircraft that will fly him directly to Islamabad from the Indian capital.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik will also be arriving here ahead of Mr Mukherjee’s visit.

Meanwhile, observers sound optimistic about the outcome of the visit. They say it will give an impetus to the ongoing peace process and strengthen it.