Marking the first step in the resumption of the stalled dialogue process, home secretaries of India and Pakistan will hold talks in New Delhi on March 28 and 29 on a range of issues including terrorism and the 26/11 trial.
This will be the first structured bilateral secretary-level meeting on counter-terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume comprehensive talks.
Islamabad has conveyed to New Delhi its consent to the meeting after Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai extended the invitation to Pakistan Interior Secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman last week. India had proposed two sets of dates -- March 21-22 and March 28-29.
More than two years after India had suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November, 2008, the two sides decided to resume comprehensive dialogue on all outstanding issues.
The meeting is expected to discuss counter-terrorism, including progress in Pakistan's Mumbai terror attacks trial and India's demand for voice samples of the 26/11 accused.
Pillai last week told PTI that India will ask Pakistan about the progress made in that country in the 26/11 investigations.
"We will ask for voice transcripts even though the trial court has said no. We will ask them why they have not gone and appealed (against the negative verdict). I am sure the high court or the Supreme Court may have said that the voice transcripts can be given," he had said.
India has been demanding voice samples of prime accused Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi and others, who were giving instructions to the ten terrorists who attacked Mumbai on November 26, 2008.
A Rawalpindi court is hearing a case against Lakhvi and six of his accomplices, who have been charged with planning and facilitating the 26/11 strikes.
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