India, Pak to revive joint panel

Krishna to discuss terror, new visa regime with Khar

India and Pakistan will embark on reviving the joint commission improve relations when External Affairs Minister S M Krishna travels to Islamabad on Saturday to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Heena Rabbani Khar.

The talks will focus on terror and a possible signing of new visa regime between the two countries.

Krishna, who begins his three-day visit on Friday, is scheduled to call on president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf. He will return to Delhi on Sunday after a brief halt in Lahore where he will meet governor and chief minister of Punjab (Pakistan).

Krishna and Khar will co-chair the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) being held after a gap of five years. Founded in 1983, the JCM was revived in 2005 after a gap of 16 years following which it met in 2006 and 2007. The JCM will be preceded by the working group meeting led by India and Pakistan foreign secretaries Ranjan Mathai and Jalil Abbas Jilani, respectively.

The two foreign ministers will review the progress of the second round of talks between the two countries held in July last year and chalk out road map for the third round.

Krishna’s visit is seen as precursor to a possible trip by prime minister Manmohan Singh to Pakistan on an invitation from Zardari. The Pakistan presidenr had invited Singh when the latter hosted him during his religious trip to India in April.

This is the second visit of Krishna to Islamabad since 2010 when it had a tumultuous end. At the end of the their talks, Pak foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi charged that “Krishna was constantly receiving calls from New Delhi from his political masters” during their meeting.

On the latest visit of Krishna, sources said India will lay stress on terrorism and early conclusion of Mumbai terror attack trial. The sources added: "All issues are going to be discussed...Terrorism is certainly a core concern to us. Mumbai (26/11 trial) is a also core concern to us."

India will attempt to sign the agreement on a new visa regime. "We were ready in May and we are ready now," the sources added. They added that Pakistan had to make up its mind. If signed, the relaxed visa regime will, for the first time, include group tourist visa, visa on arrival for senior citizens and children and year-long multiple-entry and multi- city visa for businessmen.

Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik had said last week that Islamabad was ready for the visa agreement and hoped that it would be signed during Krishna’s visit.

The sources were not forthcoming on a possible visit of a judicial commission from Pakistan to cross-examine witnesses related to the trial of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab.

“We have to wait for proper consultations to begin before we take any decision on it,” they said as they referred to Mathai’s statement that India will allow the panel.
Cross-examination, Pakistan says, is necessary for speedy end to the trial.