The prevailing political uncertainties in Pakistan, including the deep crisis of credibility for President Pervez Musharraf notwithstanding, Islamabad is going ahead on the Indo-Pak dialogue process front.

On Monday, the External Affairs Ministry announced the dates confirmed by Islamabad for the next round of talks on conventional and nuclear confidence-building measures as well as the second round meeting of the joint anti-terror mechanism set up in the wake of the July, 2006 Mumbai blasts.

The three official-level meetings will take place here between October 18 and 22. General Pervez Musharraf’s current five-year term as President comes to an end on October 15 and scheduling of the talks would suggest the military regime headed by him is confident of overcoming the challenges to his eligibility to become the candidate for a second term.

Curiously, the date fixed for joint secretary level talks on conventional confidence-building measures – October 18 – coincides with the date announced for Pakistan People’s Party chief enazir Bhutto’s return to Pakistan after years’ of “self-imposed” exile from that country.

Bhutto is widely seen to be returning home as part of a political deal with Musharraf, according to which she is believed to be poised to become the country’s prime minister for a third term.

Whether the confirmation by Islamabad of the dates for the three official level meetings was indicative of Musharraf’s confidence about implementing the widely-talked about power deal with Bhutto was a matter of speculation in official circles here as several petitions challenging his eligibility contest for a second term is pending before that country’s Supreme Court which has not been very sympathetic to the military ruler of late.

‘Disputed’ Siachen
While the External Affairs Ministry announced these days here on Monday, it chose to remain silent on Pakistan’s formal protest, conveyed in Islamabad earlier during the day, on the Indian Government’s decision to encourage civilian expeditions in the Siachen glacier area.

Islamabad’s position is that Delhi should desist from such activities since the two countries were in talks on military disengagement in “disputed” Siachen.