India reiterates concerns on terrorism: Jaishankar after talks in Pak

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar reiterated India's concern over cross-border terrorism and the Mumbai attacks trial as he met his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary during his visit to Islamabad on Tuesday.

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar reiterated India's concern over cross-border terrorism and the Mumbai attacks trial as he met his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhary during his visit to Islamabad on Tuesday.

"Today we engaged on each other's concerns and interests in an open manner and agreed to work together to find common ground," Jaishankar said after the meeting. "We agreed that ensuring peace and tranquility on the border is vital," he added.

S Jaishankar met with his Pakistani counterpart, Aizaz Chaudhry, at the foreign ministry in Islamabad, and was expected to meet later with Sartaj Aziz, the prime minister's adviser on national security and foreign affairs.

According to the Pakistani media, expected on the top of the agenda for Pakistan in the talks were "matters relating to Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Siachen, water issues, confidence-building measures, people to people contacts and trade".

While Jaishankar's visit to Islamabad was part of his trip to member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), "but all the issues between the two countries are expected to come under discussion", said a Pakistan Foreign Office official, Pakistan Today reported.

The visit comes as Prime Minister Sharif, speaking to India Today, said he hoped that the "resumption of the talks will lead to a sustained and meaningful dialogue" between the two countries.

Sharif said he was grateful to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the latter's telephone calls to him in the wake of the gruesome Peshawar attacks and on the eve of the India-Pakistan cricket match.

"He wished the Pakistan team good luck and I wished the Indian team the same. I told Modi that it is good if the Pakistan and India cricket teams meet in the World Cup finals," Sharif told India Today.

Jaishankar's Pakistan visit comes within two days of a new government taking charge in Jammu and Kashmir, and seven months after India called off foreign secretary talks over the Pakistani envoy in New Delhi hobnobbing with Kashmiri separatists.

Jaishankar flew in from Dhaka. He was in Bhutan on Sunday on the first leg and will travel to Kabul on Wednesday as part of the Saarc Yatra.