Indo-Pak Anti-Terrorism Mechanism Meets - Concludes with A Joint Statement Only!
By Animesh Roul
The first ever meeting of the Indo-Pak joint anti-terror mechanism (ATM) has ended in Islamabad on March 07. Although both countries agreed to exchange information to help investigations relating to terrorist acts and to prevent violence, the meeting achieved very little as far as information sharing, which was the concern in the first place. Pakistan’s Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid indicated that it was "irresponsible" of New Delhi to furnish a photo of a Pakistani suspect without providing essential details about him. Rashid said that he came to know from the Foreign Office that during the first meeting of the Indo-Pak Joint Anti-Terror Mechanism, Indian officials have handed over a "sketch" of a Pakistani, suspected to be behind the February 18 Samjhauta blasts.
PAKISTAN-INDIA ANTI-TERRORISM MECHANISM MEETING
Joint Statement
PR. No.70/2007 / Date: 07/03/2007
In pursuance of the decision taken during meeting between the President of Pakistan and the Prime Minister of India in Havana, Cuba on 16 September, 2006 , the first meeting of the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism was held in Islamabad on 6 th March, 2007 . The Pakistan delegation was led by Mr. Tariq Osman Hyder, Additional Secretary (UN&EC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Indian delegation was headed by Mr. K.C. Singh, Additional Secretary (IO), Ministry of External Affairs of India.
2. The two sides discussed the parameters of the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism and agreed that specific information will be exchanged through the Mechanism for:
i) Helping investigations on either side related to terrorist acts and
ii) Prevention of violence and terrorist acts in the two countries.
3. It was also agreed that while the Anti-Terrorism Mechanism would meet on a quarterly basis, any information which is required to be conveyed on priority basis would be immediately conveyed through the respective Heads of the Mechanism.
Islamabad, 07 March 2007
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan
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