India-Pak home secretary talks likely on May 24-25

The home secretaries of India and Pakistan are likely to hold bilateral talks on May 24 and 25 in Islamabad where a liberalised visa regime for the two countries is expected to be approved.

A formal communication accepting the invitation of Pakistan for the home secretary-level dialogue will be sent in a day or two, official sources said in New Delhi on Friday.

Islamabad has offered to host the meeting anytime between May 23 and 27 and New Delhi is likely to give its consent for May 24-25 talks.

Earlier, Pakistan had suggested April 16 as the possible date for the home secretary-level talks to be held in Islamabad but the date clashed with the crucial meeting of the chief ministers, which is being hosted by the home ministry.

Subsequently, New Delhi sought the fresh date for the meeting after May 22 when the budget session of Parliament comes to an end.

During the talks, an agreement to liberalise the visa procedures for the benefit of people from either country is expected to be signed.

The Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its nod for signing the pact which include multi-entry non-police reporting visas for businessmen, allowing them to visit five cities instead of three as at present.

The other provisions include exempting elderly people from police reporting, allowing common people from either country to visit three earmarked cities.