Pakistan's National Security Advisor meets Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi, Oct 14 : Pakistan National Security Advisor (NSA) Mahmud Ali Durrani who is on a five-day visit to India with an agenda focused on promoting friendship between the two countries, met External Affair Minister Pranab Mukherjee here today.

According to sources, issues like the spate of recent ceasefire violations, the rise in cross border infiltrations and the Indian Embassy bombing in Kabul were discussed.

The joint decision of calling this meeting was taken by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari at New York last month.

His visit would be focus on strengthening anti-terror cooperation between the two countries and making the Joint Anti-Terrorism Mechanism (JATM) forum effective.

The JATM was established by the two countries a few years ago for exchange of information and assisting each other in investigations of incidents of terrorism.

Durrani is likely to call on Manmohan Singh and BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Durrani arrived here on Saturday on a five-day visit with an agenda focused on promoting friendship between the two countries.

The foreign secretaries of the two countries are also to meet in Islamabad for the fifth round of the composite dialogue.

Durrani who is handpicked by the newly elected democratic government of Pakistan was ambassador to the United States during Musharraf''s regime.

His visit assumes significance as it is coming in the backdrop of deadly terror strikes in both the countries.

ANI