ISLAMABAD, Jan 11: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband is due to visit India and Pakistan this week as part of renewed efforts to persuade the two countries to hold direct talks to defuse tensions that have derailed the peace process.

Mr Miliband will first go to India on a two-day visit which will take him to Mumbai and New Delhi. He will then proceed to Islamabad.

Although no dates have been announced yet, Mr Miliband is likely to land in India on Tuesday.

The foreign secretary’s trip to Islamabad will be his fourth during his 18 months in office.

Diplomatic sources expect

Mr Miliband to tell leaders in Islamabad that after India has provided what it calls evidence relating to the

Mumbai attacks, the ball was now in the Pakistan’s court to take follow-up actions and bring to justice the perpetrators of the attack.