ISLAMABAD: The Home Secretaries of India and Pakistan began their two-day meet here on Tuesday, with the Indian delegation blaming the continuing terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir on cross-border infiltration, despite Pakistan's commitment to curb terrorism.

For its part, Pakistan reiterated the charge of Indian support to the nationalist movement in Balochistan province.

Disquiet at terror attacks

Officials said Home Secretary V. K. Duggal expressed New Delhi's disquiet at the recent terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in the country, and at reports that training camps for militants continued to exist on Pakistan's side of the LoC. On the first day, he held talks with Pakistan Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah.

Both sides were upbeat at the end of discussions.

In informal comments to mediapersons, Mr. Shah said the talks occurred in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, with both sides expressing their views in a "frank, candid and forthright" manner.

Each side had shown "great commitment" to address issues raised by the other and to resolve them, he said. "Each time we meet, we are making progress," Mr. Shah added.

Mr. Duggal said the two sides were making progress on a "step-by-step" basis.

"If one is looking at step-by-step progress, it is a yes. The issues are fairly complicated. But, if you are looking at whether the talks were successful, yes, we have moved a few steps forward. We spent three hours on all the issues and there is a movement forward," he said.

The two delegations, that include officials from investigating agencies and anti-narcotics departments, also held parleys on an MoU inked during earlier discussions to combat drug trafficking.

They also discussed a mutual legal assistance treaty that would help Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails and vice versa.

Both sides had lists of fugitives, believed to be hiding from their Governments in the other country. An extradition treaty between the two countries is also on the anvil, but it did not come up during the talks, officials said.

The two delegations continued discussions on co-operation between the Central Bureau of Investigation and Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency on issues of illegal immigration, human trafficking and counterfeit currency. Officials of the two agencies had met in Delhi in March to discuss these issues.

The talks form a part of the third round of composite dialogue between the two countries, and would continue on Wednesday.

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