New Delhi, June 9
The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet here by the end of the month to review the progress in the dialogue process that was resumed in March after a hiatus of more than two years in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

This was conveyed by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to a group of visiting Urdu journalists from Pakistan which called on her. The talks will be held after a series of meetings between top officials of the two countries on a range of bilateral issues, including Siachen, water, trade and commerce. An India-Pakistan joint working group for simplifying visa procedures had also met recently in Pakistan.

After the meeting between the two top diplomats, the Foreign Ministers of India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet in July to discuss the roadmap for future parleys.

Meanwhile, Rao told the Pakistani journalists that New Delhi was committed to the dialogue process with Pakistan but Islamabad must address India’s concerns over the issue of terrorism.

“India has shown the courage to resume the dialogue with Pakistan as we believe that it is the best way to resolve problems peacefully. We should aim for a sustained dialogue and we must not be impatient. Every step we have taken in this regard is a meaningful step, she added.

Rao said India was concerned about the spurt in terrorism in Pakistan. “Pakistan has got identified with what happened on 26/11 and other terror incidents. It is unfortunate that many people have died in Pakistan owing to terrorism. Pakistan is going through difficult times.”

She regretted that Pakistan was not serious about tackling terrorism directed against India from its soil. In this connection, she specifically drew attention towards Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed who has been spewing venom against India in his public speeches in Pakistan.