New Delhi: Amid renewed engagements between India and Pakistan, the Home Secretaries of the two countries are likely to have a bilateral meeting in Islamabad in the last week of May.
New Delhi has conveyed to Islamabad that Home Secretary R K Singh was ready to travel to the neighbouring country for the dialogue anytime after May 22 when the Budget session of Parliament comes to an end.
"Now, Pakistan has given us a date for the talks in the last week of May. We are considering it and will convey our decision to them soon," a senior Home Ministry official said.
Earlier, Pakistan had suggested April 16 as the possible date for the Home Secretary level talks to be held in Islamabad but the date clashed with the crucial meeting of the Chief Ministers which is hosted by the Home Ministry.
Subsequently, New Delhi sought the fresh date for the meeting.
The bilateral meeting will be held amid renewed engagements between India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted a lunch for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on April 8 when he was here on a "private visit".
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had said when the Prime Minister took up with Zardari the issue of action against 26/11 perpetrators and activities of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan President suggested that further discussion was required and since Home Secretaries of the two countries will be meeting shortly, the issue will be taken up at that time.
Last month Singh met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
Earlier, India had proposed the Home Secretary level talks on December 22-23, 2011 but Islamabad could not give its consent due to its domestic political situation at that time.
This will be the first meeting between Home Secretary R K Singh and his Pakistani counterpart K Siddique Akbar.
Their predecessors Gopal K Pillai and Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, had met in March 2011 in New Delhi.
PTI
