New Delhi: India and Pakistan will hold talks from tomorrow (Dec 13, 2004) to combat smuggling of narcotic and psychedelic substances and are expected to exchange drafts of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore ways to fight the menace.

A five-member Pak delegation, led by its Anti-Narcotics Force Director General Maj Gen Nadeem Ahmed, arrived in New Delhi last night (Dec 11, 2004) for the two-day talks to be held as part of the ongoing composite dialogue process between the two countries.

The Indian team will be headed by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General Swaraj Puri.

The two sides will discuss methods for mutual detection of narcotic drugs and ways to control their smuggling, official sources said today.

The delegations are scheduled to exchange drafts of an MOU to combat drug smuggling, the sources said. However, the MOU will be finalised at a later date only after due consultations, they added.

An Indian delegation from NCB had visited Pakistan in June for the first round of talks to check smuggling of narcotic drugs, which, in this region originate mainly from Afghanistan.

Before the start of the talks, the Pakistan delegation would call on Home Minister Shivraj Patil tomorrow.