India, Pak discuss confidence-building measures

Foreign ministers of two countries to hold two-day meet in New Delhi

A set of cross LoC CBMs alongwith such measures in other areas are likely to be announced when External Affairs Minister S M Krishna will meet his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar in New Delhi on July 26 and 27.

Khar, now a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, is set to be elevated as full-fledged minister before she coming to New Delhi to hold talks with Krishna. Krishna and Khar are expected to announce a series of new cross-LoC travel and trade CBMs after their meeting in New Delhi.

New Delhi and Islamabad are also holding discussions to work out additional CBMs in the areas like nuclear safety, defence and cultural exchanges.

According to sources in New Delhi, the issues discussed by India-Pakistan Joint Working Group on cross-LoC CBMs on Monday included a proposal for increasing the number of days for trade every week. They also discussed categorisation of 21 items selected for trade across the LoC.

The Indian delegation was led by Y K Sinha, Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran) in the Ministry of External Affairs. Zehra H Akbari, Director-General (South Asia) in Pakistani Foreign Office, led the delegation from Islamabad.

“The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. Both sides reviewed the existing cross LoC travel and trade arrangements to ensure their effective implementation and exchanged views on additional measures to facilitate cross LoC travel and trade,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

India and Pakistan renewed focus on the CBMs during the Foreign Secretary level talks in Islamabad on June 24. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir reviewed implementation of the existing nuclear and conventional CBMs.

Sources said the two sides also discussed issuance of travel permits to make travel easier across the LoC,  banking facilities, bus links and road connectivity. Traders recently submitted a memorandum to the Governor N N Vohra, demanding a review of Standard Operating Procedure for the cross-LoC trade after every three months, facilitating regular Zero Point meetings of traders from both sides, monthly visits of delegations of traders for trade talks and waiver from VAT payment on trading items meant for cross-LoC trade.

The traders also demanded an increase in the number of commodities as part of the SOP between the two countries. In a move to encourage people-to-people, New Delhi on March 26 last unilaterally decided to extend the stay period for visitors from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to J&K up to six months and also to grant them multiple-entry facility.