India, Pak agree to strengthen cooperation against terrorism

New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) India and Pakistan today agreed to jointly combat terrorism and continue to work together to identify measures, exchange specific information and assist in investigations.

At the second meeting of the India-Pakistan Joint Anti-terrorism Mechanism (JATM) here, the two sides reviewed the follow up steps taken on the information shared during the first meeting of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism held in Islamabad on March six and in the intervening period.

Both sides shared new information on terrorist incidents including those which have occurred since the last meeting, a Joint Statement issued after the day-long brain-storming session here said.

''They agreed to continue to work to identify measures, exchange specific information and assist in investigations,'' the Joint Statement said.

The Indian delegation at the talks was headed by K C Singh, Additional Secretary (IO), Ministry of External Affairs, while The Pakistan delegation was led by Khalid Aziz Babar, Additional Secretary (UN and EC).

The next meeting of the Mechanism will be held in Islamabad according to the schedule already agreed upon, the Joint Statement said.

The discussions followed the mandate given to the group when it was constituted after the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Pervez Musharraf in Havana on September 16, 2006, on the sidelines of the NAM summit.

The meeting comes barely days after the devastating terrorist attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in which about 135 people were killed and nearly 500 injured and the bomb explosion in a Ludhiana cinema hall.

Following the incidents, India called for ''strong and determined action'' by all governments to curb terrorism in the region.

''The spectre of terrorism confronting our region requires strong and determined action by all our Governments,'' the External Affairs Ministry said after strongly condemning terrorist attacks on Ms Bhutto in Karachi.

UNI