By IANS
New Delhi : With dates for the next meeting of the anti-terror mechanism still uncertain and the first anniversary of the Mumbai train blasts round the corner, India will raise its concerns with Pakistan on cross-border terrorism and infiltration when their home secretaries meet here Tuesday.
Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, accompanied by senior officials, will hold two-day talks with a Pakistani team led by Interior Secretary Syed Kamal on issues like terrorism, narcotics control and the release of fishermen.
Increasing terrorist infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir across the Line of Control (LoC) will also figure prominently in the discussions.
As the dates for the meeting of the joint anti-terror mechanism, which was expected to be held this month, are yet to be decided, India would press Pakistan for follow up on leads it provided into investigation of the July 11 Mumbai commuter train blasts, blamed on Pakistan-based terrorists, that killed around 187 people and injured hundreds.
The two sides are also likely to discuss leads in the investigation into the blasts on the link train of the cross-border train Samjhauta Express in February this year.
New Delhi will renew its demand for the extradition of Dawood Ibrahim, the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, and other accused involved in heinous crimes it thinks are in Pakistan. Islamabad has consistently denied the presence of India's "most wanted criminals" in its territory.
Besides Dawood, his brother Anis Ibrahim and chiefs of banned terrorist outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and the hijackers of the Indian Airlines IC-814 flight are also in the list of India's most wanted list presented to the Pakistani side two years ago.
Another issue that will figure prominently in the talks is the release of prisoners in each other's country. India will raise the issue of release of nearly 500 Indian fishermen in Pakistani jails, official sources said.
Pakistan too has been demanding the release of its nationals in Indian jails. India maintains that some of these are not ordinary prisoners but are allegedly involved in a range of crimes ranging from spying to terrorism.
India may bring up its proposal for a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) during the discussions, sources said.
During the last home secretary-level talks in Islamabad in May last year, both sides had agreed to release fishermen and civilian prisoners who had completed their prison sentences and have been granted consular access and whose national status has been verified.
Ahead of the talks, India released 40 Pakistani prisoners, including 10 fishermen, as a goodwill gesture.
New Delhi is awaiting the confirmation of the nationality of 48 other fishermen, who would be repatriated immediately after their identity is established.
The two countries have set up a panel of retired judges to look into various issues relating to the release of prisoners in each other's jails.
Pakistan, on its part, may raise the issue of alleged objectionable activities of the Indian consulates in Afghanistan aimed at fomenting disturbances in Balochistan – an allegation New Delhi had vehemently denied in the past.