India has again accused Pakistan, of backing freedom fighters active in occupied Kashmir, on final day of two-day bilateral inconclusive talks here on Wednesday.
However, Pakistan has categorically rejected Indian charges, saying that it has done what it can to rein the extremist groups active in the country.
Interior Ministry spokesman Additional Secretary Abdul Rauf Chaudhry rejected the allegation levelled by Indian side that Pakistan has been constantly involved in cross-border terrorism in the disputed Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).
The spokesman termed the foreign media reporting as negative propaganda against Pakistan and said that any issue concerning infiltration from Pakistan side was not discussed during bilateral talks.
Rauf, however, did not make any comment whether the talks were positive or not.
According to Foreign Office statement, as a goodwill gesture Pakistan has decided to release 449 Indian prisoners, majority being fishermen who were arrested for entering Pakistan's territorial waters.
The government would also release 41 Indian prisoners languishing in Pakistan's jails for visa violations, the statement added.
Another 406 Indian fishermen in custody would be released after confirmation of their national status, the statement said.
The announcement came after Indian and Pakistan officials concluded the two-day talks on terrorism and drug trafficking.
Sources said that the two countries had held detailed deliberations on terrorism across the Line of Control (LoC).
India had conveyed grave concerns to Pakistan about terrorist infrastructure in the country and infiltration across the LoC and the India Home Secretary told his Pakistani counterpart that much more needed to be done in this regard.
Foreign Office spokesman said that the two sides were discussing a range of challenging issues relating to signing MoU in near future to combat terrorism and drug smuggling.
Indian and Pakistani officials are also discussing ways to best tackle drug trafficking in the region, he added.
Both sides have also expressed willingness to depute 'Drug Liaison Officers' in the respective High Commissions in Pakistan and India to share information and enhance existing co-operation to institutionalise the issue, FO statement said.
Interior Ministry spokesman said that Pakistan and India on the final day of talks on Wednesday agreed to work out a joint framework to resolve all contentious issues concerning terrorism and drug trafficking.
The two-day talks concluded with wide differences on the definition of 'terrorism', sources told Business Recorder.
During the meeting, Pakistan delegation had made it clear that no infiltration was taking place alongside LoC as the government had taken all possible steps to control such activities.
Talks on terrorism and drug trafficking are part of composite dialogue process.
Pakistan is also hosting trade-related talks in Islamabad, which started here on Wednesday. The first round of talks will be completed on Thursday following talks on economic and trade ties between the two countries.
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