Updated on
Summary
Indian Home Minister Chidambaram has arrived in Pakistan to attend SAARC Interior Ministers Conference. Interior Minister Rehman Malik greeted him at Chaklala Airbase. Before Chidambarams visit, India announced to release four Pakistani soldiers as a goodwill gesture. On Saturday, Chidambaram will join his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives at the SAARC Interior Ministers conference. Strengthening of police cooperation will be high on agenda of the conference during which India is expected to press for visible collaboration by member countries in the fight against terrorism. The conference will deliberate on ways to implement police networking and exchange of information. Earlier, in foreign secretaries meeting today, 15-point agenda for the conference was fianlised. A high-level meeting was also held today under the chairmanship of interior secretary Qamar Zaman Chaudhry in which convention and additional protocol about anti-terrorism was reviewed. Terrorism, social injustice, and crimes are the biggest challenge for Saarc countries, he said.Report of SAARC Anti-Terrorism Desk will also be discussed in the conference. Interior Minister Rehman Malik said agenda has been prepared for negotiation with Indian Home Minister and detailed discussion would be held on all issues. We are going to hold talks with India with open mind and for maintaining durable peace in the region, Malik said while talking to media persons at the Parliament House. The minister said that role of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan was very important for sustainable peace and security of the region and it was the need of the hour to devise joint strategy to counter security threats. Pakistani and Indian Home Ministers meeting will be held tomorrow.
