Indo-Pak officials discuss Kashmir-related CBMs

The meeting of the Working Group on cross-Line of Control CBMs, earlier scheduled to be held on July 10, was postponed as the official who was to lead the Indian side had gone to Afghanistan in wake of the suicide bombing at the Indian embassy in Kabul.     

Besides measures to facilitate travel and trade across the LoC, the two countries discussed new Kashmir-related CBMs and the launch of a truck service between Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, sources said.     

The Working Group also reviewed existing trans-LoC bus services, they said.     

The meeting came ahead of talks between the foreign secretaries of the two countries in New Delhi during July 21-22, to launch the fifth round of the composite dialogue.     

The Pakistani delegation was headed by Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Director General (South Asia and SAARC) while the Indian side was led by T C A Raghavan, Joint Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry.     

The Working Group met in pursuance of a decision taken during the meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee here on May 21 to review fourth round of the composite dialogue process.     

The first meeting of the Working Group was held in New Delhi in May 2006.