Tuesday, August 30 2005 11:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India yesterday (August 29, 2005) handed over to Pakistan a list of nearly 30 wanted people, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and ULFA supremo Paresh Barua, seeking their deportation to face trial in this country.

The list, which also includes names of Dawood associate Chhota Shakeel and Rawalpindi-based Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, was handed over by Union Home Secretary V K Duggal to his Pakistani counterpart Syed Kamal Shah on the opening day of the two-day Home Secretary-level talks here.

Dawood, who has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, is wanted in India in connection with 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and other serious crimes. Pakistan also gave India a list of 37 "wanted" persons alleging they were in India and mostly involved in alleged drug trafficking offences. The names in the Pakistani list were not immediately available.

Masood Azhar was one of the terrorists released by India in return for safety of the passengers of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1999 from where he went to Pakistan. Paresh Barua has been reportedly shuttling between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Among other names in the Indian list are Khalistan Commando Force chief Paramjit Singh Panjwar, Babbar Khalsa, International leader Wadhawa Singh and Lakhbir Singh, head of another Punjab terrorist group and two men--Ishaq Atta Hussain and Sair Sabir Ali Shaikh--who allegedly wanted to target Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil.

"We exchanged documents relating to terrorists, criminals and those involved in anti-national activities. While India gave a list of nearly 30 people, including underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim, Chhota Shakeel and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azhar and ULFA chief Paresh Barua", said an official, who attended the meeting, on condition of anonymity.

India also sought extradition of five hijackers of IC-814 in 1999 and some of the Khalistan leaders, including Ranjit Singh Neeta, who have been holed up in Pakistan since late 1980s.

Duggal, who is holding talks with the Pakistani delegation led by Shah, said a joint statement would be issued tomorrow after the conclusion of the talks, which are a part of the ongoing Indo-Pak composite dialogue process.

Emerging from an hour-long meeting both the delegations had with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Shah described his talks as "very very useful" and "positive" saying "we are sincerely committed to taking care of the issues and problems that exist.

"If India is peaceful and India is secure, we feel Pakistan will be peaceful. If Pakistan is peaceful, India should feel that it would be peaceful. So, we have to work for this objective and we feel we are in the right direction," the Pakistan Interior Secretary said.

Both sides said they discussed the issue of terrorism, drug trafficking and that of the prisoners who are in jails in both the countries.

"The talks are being held in the light of a joint declaration of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Musharraf" issued in April this year, Duggal said after a four-and-half-hour meeting.