India flags cross-border terror concerns to Pakistan

Islamabad, March 3: India on Tuesday flagged its concerns over cross-border terrorism and the slow-moving Mumbai attack trial to Pakistan as Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar met his Pakistani counterpart here.

Both countries agreed that maintaining peace and tranquility on their border was vital.

Jaishankar, who arrived here earlier Tuesday, called on Prime Minister waz Sharif in the evening.

Besides holding talks with his counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary, Jaishankar also met Sartaz Aziz, advisor on tiol security and foreign affairs, and Tariq Fatemi, special assistant to Prime Minister Sharif.

Jaishankar, here as part of a SAARC Yatra initiated by Prime Minister rendra Modi, held talks with Chaudhary after arriving.

Both sides discussed bilateral issues and agreed to work together to find common ground and rrow their differences.

Jaishankar said that he reiterated India’s “known concerns on cross-border terrorism, including on the Mumbai case”.

After talks with Chaudhary, the Indian foreign secretary said in replyto a question that he was glad to be in Islamabad as part of Modi’s SAARC initiative.

He said he “conveyed the expectations of our leadership on SAARC and their determition to forge a cooperative relationship with all our neighbours”.

He said India and Pakistan “discussed ideas and initiatives to take SAARC forward.

“Pakistan will be the next SAARC chair, and India would like to work with Pakistan to help SAARC achieve its potential.

“turally, my visit provided an opportunity to discuss our bilateral relations.

“We engaged on each other’s concerns and interests in an open manner. We agreed to work together to find common ground and rrow differences,” said Jaishankar.

“We agreed that ensuring peace and tranquility on the border was vital. Our talks were held in a constructive and positive atmosphere.”

Jaishankar is on a four-tion South Asian trip. After visiting Bhutan and Bangladesh, he reached Pakistan on Tuesday. He will be in Afghanistan on Wednesday. (IANS)