Thaindian News

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) In a step towards resuming the stalled peace process, India and Pakistan Tuesday agreed to set up a hotline for sharing real-time information on terrorists and terror threats, according a joint statement issued after the home secretaries of the two countries ended their two-day talks here.

“Both sides agreed to set up a hotline between the home secretary of India and the interior secretary of Pakistan to facilitate real-time information sharing with respect to terrorist threats,” the statement said.

Pakistan agreed to cooperate with India on the probe into the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, according to the statement.

The statement follows two days of talks between Home Secretary G.K. Pillai and his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhry Qamar Zaman to discuss varied issues, including the trial of Mumbai terror suspects in Pakistan, the Samjhauta Express blasts probe, easing of visa norms, narcotics control and the smuggling of fake Indian currency notes.

A team of Indian investigators would be allowed to visit Pakistan and question the 2008 suspects being prosecuted there. India’s National Investigative Agency (NIA) can now quiz seven Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists - including its leaders Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, Abu al-Qama and Zarar Shah - who allegedly masterminded the Mumbai carnage.

The modalities and dates of the team’s visit would be decided later,

The Pillai-Zaman meeting is seen as a first step towards re-initiating a peace process stalled after 10 Pakistani terrorists slaughtered 166 people in Mumbai in 2008, almost triggering an India-Pakistan war.

India has also provided details of the probe into the Samjhauta Express blasts to a team of Pakistani interior ministry officials.

Reiterating their “commitment” to fight terrorism, both sides have agreed to “reaffirm the need to bring those responsible for such crimes to justice”, the statement added.

The two sides also agreed to hold home secretary-level talks twice a year.