Working vigorously with Pak for return of 27 truckers: India

India today said it is working "vigorously" with Pakistan to ensure the return of 27 truckers detained there since last month after a Pakistani driver was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir for carrying drugs.
"We are in regular touch through diplomatic channels on the issue of 27 Indian truckers who are awaiting their return from across the Line of Control," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here.
Describing it as a "humanitarian" issue, he said India has been regularly taking it up with the Pakistani authorities.
"This is a humanitarian issue as is the issue of cross-LoC travel," he said.

"It is our intention to try and normalise the sitaution as quickly as possible. Let me assure you we are working through diplomatic channels as vigorously as possible," he added.
Pakistan detained the 27 Indian drivers after India seized a Pakistani truck in Kashmir and arrested its driver for carrying brown sugar worth Rs 100 crore.

Akbaruddin also announced that External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will travel to Maldives from February 18 to 20 to attend SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting.
The meeting is expected to discuss implementation of proposals for connectivity among the nine member-countries besides other issues and finalize the dates for next SAARC Summit to be held in the Maldives.

He also said India along with Japan, Germany and Brazil, together forming the G-4 grouping, are pushing for UN reforms and in this context, their officials met here today.