Home Minister Sushil kumar Shinde meets Pak counterpart Rehman Malik, talks 26/11 trial

ROME: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today met his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik here and pressed for speedy punishment to the perpetrators of Mumbai terror attacks.

Shinde, who met Malik on the sideslines of the Interpol General Assembly, also conveyed India's willingness to send a team of its National Investigation Agency and sought Pakistan's early response, official sources said.

New Delhi wants to send the NIA team to examine the material evidence collected against arrested 26/11 terror attack prime accused, including LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six others against whom the trial is going on in a court in Rawalpindi.

The two leaders also discussed on the operationalisation of the Indo-Pak landmark visa agreement, signed in September, aimed at easing travel restrictions, sources said.

The visa agreement, signed by then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Malik in Islamabad on September 8, eases curbs on issuing visas to traders, elderly people, tourists, pilgrims, members of civil society and children.

The pact is expected to come into force before the upcoming limited over Indo-Pak cricket series beginning December 25.