Author: Pranab Dhal Samanta
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: November 14, 2006
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/story/16581.html
Introduction: Pak, in turn, seeks access to
detained men
Setting the stage for the Foreign Secretary-level
talks with Pakistan, India passed on the passport and other identification
details of Mohammed Fahad - the Pakistani militant nabbed in Mysore - last
week and is now expecting a response at the talks starting tomorrow. It's
learnt that Pakistan, meanwhile, has also asked for consular access to verify
Indian claims.
Fahad along with one Mohammed Ali Hussain
was arrested last month in Mysore under charges for trying to set up a base
for militant outfit Al-Badr and planning an attack on Vikas Soudha. They were
trying to obtain an Indian identity and had also applied for Indian passports.
Fahad was said to be responsible for managing finances and help obtain fresh
identities for militants who were to be sent later.
Hussain, according to investigations that
lasted nearly six months, had crossed the LoC into Kashmir in 2002 and was
also the district commander for the group while Fahad, who had made contact
with Al-Badr in Pakistan, is reported to have delivered some funds to Al-Badr
in Kashmir.
Fahad holds a Pakistan passport (A8179481)
issued on November 10, 2004 from Karachi. His citizenship identification number
is 42101871794855. These along with other relevant details, sources said,
have been shared with Pakistan ahead of the talks.
One of the prime objectives of this round
of meeting between the Foreign Secretaries is to finalise the anti-terror
mechanism agreed upon between Pakistan President Musharraf and Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh at Havana. It's learnt that two Additional Secretaries - Tariq
Usman Haider (UN and International Organisations) and Mohammed Akhtar Tufail
(Asia-Pacific) - are part of the Pakistani delegation. Sources said the two
officials are key persons dealing with terrorism issues in the Pakistan Foreign
Ministry.
India is keen on setting up an Additional
Secretary-level group and not crowd it with too many members so that efficiency
can be ensured. Sources indicated that New Delhi's aim is to not only set
up the mechanism, but also hold a meeting this time. There is, however, limited
information that South Block will share on the Mumbai blasts given that the
chargesheet is still to be filed in the case. The understanding is to only
part with information where help is needed from Pakistan in the line of on
going investigations.
As is almost ritual in Indo-Pak talks, much
of the diplomacy takes places outside the formal talks. Both sides got an
informal sense of each other's priorities at a dinner hosted by Foreign Secretary
Shiv Shankar Menon in honour of his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Muhammad Khan
tonight. India feels this round of talks is different from other rounds because
of the emphasis on terror which was the focus of the Havana meeting.
pranab.samanta@expressindia.com
