Chidambaram likely to visit Pakistan

NEW DELHI - The government has yet to take a call on Home Minister P. Chidambaram’s visit to Islamabad for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) interior ministers’ conference next month, but indications are that he could make the trip, government sources said Friday.

Obviously the home minister himself needs to make up his mind in the first place after consultations with the ministry of external affairs. But given that he has been doing some tough talking against Pakistan, it may be worthwhile to test the waters there, said a senior government functionary.

There has been no ministerial visit from India since the 26/11 terror strikes. The last visit was by Pranab Mukherjee in May 2008, who was then the external affairs minister.

Chidambaram’s constant refrain, after India submitted seven terror dossiers to Pakistan for action, has been that Islamabad needs to do more to punish the 26/11 accused.

On Thursday after Pakistani investigators named Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi as the mastermind behind the Mumbai attacks, Chidambaram said that Pakistan was still dragging its feet.

Lakhvi is one of the masterminds. There are others. We know their names and we think Pakistan also knows their names. If they do not bring others to trial, then I would have to conclude reluctantly and regrettably that they are still dragging their feet, he remarked.

The SAARC conference scheduled from Feb 20 will be attended by ministers from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is expected to discuss regional cooperation for dealing with the menace of terrorism, narcotics and organised crime.

Officials pointed out that an invitation had reached Chidambaram.