India and Pakistan to cooperate on Mumbai attack investigation

[News_Editor]

India and Pakistan to cooperate on Mumbai attack investigation

2011-03-29 22:12:05 GMT+7 (ICT)

NEW DELHI (BNO NEWS) -- Pakistan has agreed to host Indian investigators looking into the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks as talks between the home secretaries of both countries ended on Tuesday in the Indian capital.

"Pakistan side provided updates on the ongoing trial and investigation in Pakistan on the Mumbai terror attacks. Pakistan conveyed its readiness, in-principle, based upon the principle of comity and reciprocity, to entertain a Commission from India with respect to Mumbai terror attack investigations," a joint statement issued after the meeting said.


The dates for the visit will be conveyed by India within four to six weeks, the Deccan Herald reported.

Indian Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai and Interior Secretary of Pakistan Qamar Zaman Chaudhary also agreed to set up a hotline to facilitate real time information sharing on terror threats.

"The meeting was extremely positive. It had moved forward in reducing trust deficit (between the two countries) significantly," Pillai said after the meeting, as cited by the newspaper.

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency and India's National Investigation Agency will continue to cooperate on the attack investigations.

Talks between the nuclear-armed neighbors were stalled after the November 26 attack in Mumbai blamed on Pakistan-based militants. The group divided in two and carried out an unprecedented attack for 60 hours at the Hotels Taj Mahal and Oberoi-Trident and Jewish outreach centre Nariman House in South Mumbai. Overall, the terrorists killed 166 people and injured 238 others.

The officials also agreed on increasing cooperation in various areas, including countering drug and human trafficking, and streamlining visa procedure.

The news comes a day before Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani will visit India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh to attend the Cricket World Cup semi-final between both countries.

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