Indian foreign minister picks up talks with Pakistan
Pakistan and India are returning to talks fractured by the terrorist attacks that killed 166 people in Mumbai nearly two years ago.
The two countries are trying to repair their strained relationship, but little concrete progress is expected from the visit by Indian foreign minister SM Krishna to meet Pakistani counterpart Shah Mahmood Qureshi.
Mr Krishna is the most senior official to come to Pakistan since the November 2008 attacks, which India blames on Pakistan-based militants.
On his arrival in Islamabad yesterday he said he would continue to push Pakistan "on our core concern of terrorism."
India has insisted that no real improvement in the relationship can come until Pakistan demonstrates its determination in cracking down on the militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba which was allegedly involved in the attacks.
Pakistan helped establish Lashkar-e-Taiba two decades ago to pressure India over the disputed territory of Kashmir. The government banned the group in 2002 following American pressure, and has bristled at criticism it is not doing enough to fight it, saying it needs more evidence from Indian investigators.
The government has also pushed India to restart comprehensive talks on issues including Kashmir that were suspended in the wake of the Mumbai attacks.
Before the talks Indian home secretary GK Pillai published claims that Pakistan's most powerful intelligence agency orchestrated the attacks.
He told the Indian Express newspaper that new information about the role of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency had emerged from the interrogation of David Coleman Headley, an American who pleaded guilty in the US in March to being in on the planning of the attacks. He was subsequently questioned by Indian investigators.
Pakistani authorities did not immediately respond to the accusations, but the agency has previously denied any involvement in the Mumbai attacks.
Mr Krishna said on his arrival in Islamabad yesterday that he would continue to push Pakistan "on our core concern of terrorism." He cited conversations India's home minister had with Pakistani officials last month about Headley's interrogation.
