India, Pak to set up terror hotline

NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan on Tuesday put aside their differences over the 26/11 probe and decided to allow each other's commissions to visit their countries in connection with investigations and set up a 'hotline' between the countries to share "real time" information on terror threats.

These and other decisions, including setting a timeframe to release each other's fishermen/prisoners and working to liberalise the visa regime came during the concluding day of the home secretary-level talks here on Tuesday.

The grounds for these measures were laid during the past month after it was decided in Thimphu that both countries would resume structured bilateral talks which remained suspended for over two years post-26/11. On Tuesday, both sides moved a step ahead when they decided to have home/interior secretary-level talks twice a year "to remain engaged on outstanding issues" unlike once every year till 2008.

"The meeting was extremely positive. It has moved forward in reducing trust deficit (between the two countries) significantly," home secretary Gopal K Pillai said after the meeting. The Pakistani delegation was led by interior secretary Chaudhary Qamar Zaman.

The Indian side could sense the seriousness of Pakistan, which had been dragging its feet on allowing Indian investigators on its soil to probe the source of Mumbai attacks, when it conveyed "its readiness, in principle, based upon the principle of comity and reciprocity, to entertain a commission from India" with respect to the 26/11 probe.

A joint statement at the end of the meeting said, "Modalities and composition (of Indian commission) in this connection will be worked out through diplomatic channels."

India — which had "in principle" decided to allow a Pakistani commission to visit the country — formalised its decision. The statement said India would convey the dates of the visit within 4-6 weeks. Officials said the Pakistani panel may visit India by May 15.

Officials later said the Indian commission, which may include NIA investigators, will examine the "evidence" collected by Pakistani agencies and also talk to investigators and others who could be "witnesses" in the Indian case. Such people may include all those who might have been in touch with American Lashkar terrorist David Coleman Headley, his wife, ex-wife and relatives.