New Delhi, September 6
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna’s visit to Pakistan starting tomorrow offers India an opportunity to reach across the political aisle and engage with leaders of different parties ahead of general elections due there early next year.

While much attention is paid to bilateral issues on the table starting with New Delhi’s core concern of terrorism, progress on the liberalised visa regime agreement, expanding cultural exchanges and concessions facilitating travel across the border in Jammu and Kashmir for religious groups and trade, the sub-script includes the minister’s discussions with political leaders.

Besides the bilateral discussion with his Pakistan counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, India’s External Affairs Minister meeting with leaders of political formations in the Government as well as one with those of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N) assumes significance.

During his two-day stay in Islamabad, Krishna is scheduled to call on President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, both of whom belong to the Pakistan People’s Party. The engagement also includes meeting the leaders of Pakistan Muslim League (Q), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party.

On Sunday when he returns, the Minister will spend a day in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province where he is scheduled to meet the Governor Latif Khosa and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, who is brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister and chief of the PML(N), Nawaz Sharif.

These across the aisle contacts would allow New Delhi to reach out to a wider section of political leadership in the neighbouring country where elections are due in early part of 2013. It is not clear whether the meeting with political leaders has planned to have one with Imran Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-Ie-Insaaf. Sources associated with programme stated that most engagements are with party leaders who are in the Government.

Meanwhile, reports from Islamabad said that ahead of the talks, eight technical sub-groups of the India-Pakistan Joint Commission met there today to discuss prospects for cooperation in areas like Agriculture, Education, Environment, Health, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Environment, Tourism. The experts are expected to provide inputs for a meeting of the Plenary of the Joint Commission that will be co-chaired by the two Foreign Ministers on September 8.