Islamabad: Appearing to be keen on sustaining 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 among others 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 the areas related to the internal security of both the countries," Pakistan Interior Minister, Fasal Saleh Hayat said in an interview to local daily, 'The News' published today (Jan 8, 2004).

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

Significantly, Hayat said that 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 nothing much could be done at present to take action on the list of 21 terrorists given by India for extradition.

The list included Mumbai underworld don - Dawood Ibrahim and leaders of militant outfits, including, Maualana Masood Azhar of Jaish Muhammad, Hafeez Saeed of LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) 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 reciprocal basis within a legal framework," Hayat said.

The Interior 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 can be an area which should be extensively discussed between both the countries as Pakistan had been victim of terrorism since long."

He said internal security is a wide area and "we want to discuss all such issues which could be in the best interest of the people of both the countries".