Combating terrorism high on agenda of Indo-Pak talks in Islamabad

New Delhi, May 28 (UNI) Barely days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's bold initiative to set up five working groups on Kashmir, Union Home Secretary V K Duggal will leave for Islamabad tomorrow for the Home Secretary-level talks with Pakistan to provide an impetus to the composite dialogue process and launch a full-throttle campaign against terrorism.

Held against the backdrop of a spurt in terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley and reports of 59 militant camps operating from across the border, the two-day talks, beginning Tuesday, will discuss issues pertaining to terrorism, the need for increased co-operation on narcotics control and exchange offishermen and prisoners.

New Delhi has taken a consistent stand that at least 59 terror camps are still operating in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Many of these were destroyed in the October 8, 2005 earthquake, but a number of them have once again become active.

India will remind Pakistan of its committments not to allow use of POK for terror activities.

The frame-work for the talks have been approved by the PMO and the Home Ministry.

''The emphasis during the talks will be on continuing the peace process and increasing people-to-people contact between the two countries,'' official sources said.

At the talks, Pakistan will be led by its Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah.

Mr Duggal will be accompanied by an eight-member delegation, which includes the Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau and senior officers from the CBI and the External Affairs Ministry.

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