New Delhi, May 4
Keen to take the peace process with Pakistan forward, India is expected to press for launch of more cross-LoC bus services and propose some other confidence building measures during the upcoming visit of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Islamabad.
In the first high-level contact with the new Pakistan government, Mukherjee will hold talks with his counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi on May 21 during which the Indian side is also expected to propose increasing the frequency of fortnightly Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot bus services to make these weekly.
During the much-delayed talks, the two sides will review the fourth round of Composite Dialogue and assess progress made on eight issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and terrorism.
The talks between Mukherjee and Qureshi, which will also set the tone for the fifth round of composite dialogue, will be preceded by the Foreign Secretary-level discussions on May 20.
At the talks, the Indian side is expected to press for launch of Kargil-Skardu and Jammu-Sialkot bus services.
The two sides will also discuss operationalisation of the truck service on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, sources said here.
— PTI
