India, Pak foreign secys to meet on January 15 to draw roadmap for dialogue

The foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan will meet on January 15 in Islamabad to draw a roadmap to carry forward the engagement under the newly- announced "Bilateral Comprehensive Dialogue".

Though there was no official announcement from either India or Pakistani side, sources said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will travel to Islamabad to hold talks with his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry.

During the meeting, the two secretaries will discuss modalities and other schedule-related aspects to carry forward the dialogue which was announced during the visit of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Islamabad earlier this month.

On December 23, the neighbouring country had proposed talks between their foreign secretaries in Islamabad on January 15 to discuss all outstanding issues. According to sources, India had accepted the proposal.

The process of resumption of talks was set in motion after a meeting between prime ministers of India and Pakistan in Paris on November 30 on the sidelines of Climate Change Conference. The meet was followed by the national security advisers' meeting in Bangkok a week later following which the external affairs minister visited Pakistan to attend Heart of Asia Conference.

In a surprise move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Lahore yesterday to greet his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif on his birthday in person.

They held talks and decided to open ways for peace for the "larger good" of the people of the two countries.