Pak may invite Advani for talks

Keen to sustain the momentum generated by the recent thaw in the Indo-Pak relations, Pakistan said it would shortly invite Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani to discuss a "structured dialogue" to work out an extradition treaty between the two countries.

"The ice in relations between India and Pakistan has melted and I would like Advani to visit Pakistan to discuss areas related to the internal security of both countries", Pakistan Interior Minister Fasal Saleh Hayat said in an interview to The News.

Hayat said he was extending an invitation to Advani to visit Pakistan through media and a formal invitation would be sent though diplomatic channels shortly.

The interior minister said Pakistan was willing to conclude a bilateral extradition treaty with India.

"We are certainly prepared to discuss the modalities of a bilateral extradition treaty with India as we want to discuss all those issues which could obviate mistrust in both the countries".

He, however, said it was difficult to take action on the list of 21 terrorists given by India for extradition.

The list includes Mumbai underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and leaders of other militants outfits, including, Maualanam Masood Azhar of Jaish-e-Muhammad, Hafeez Saeed of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Sayed Salahuddin of Hizbul Mujahideen.

"Without a legal framework in the form of an extradition treaty, nothing can be done on this issue. We also have some needs and we can also make a list of terrorists who are needed to be extradited from India, but we are not doing so as we believe that everything should be done on a reciprocal basis within a legal framework", Hyat said.

The minister's comments followed the initiation of political process by India and Pakistan recently.

Outlining the issues Pakistan would like to discuss with Advani, Hayat said "we should discuss several areas which could remove mistrust in both the countries by following a step by step approach. Cooperation in the war against terror needed to be discussed extensively between both countries as Pakistan had been a victim of terrorism since long."

He said internal security was a wide area and "we want to discuss all such issues that could be in the best of interests for the people of both the countries".