Thursday, July 27 2006 16:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Pakistan has not responded to India's request for handing over wanted criminals and terrorists at present residing in that country, Minister of state for External Affairs E Ahamed said today (July 27, 2006).

"List of criminals, known to be residing in Pakistan, were handed over to it during the Home Secretary level talks on 'Terorism and Drug Trafficking' held in 2004, 2005 and 2006, with the request that they be apprehended and handed over to India. Pakistan has not responded positively to these requests", he said in a written reply.

Replying to another question, he said the scheduled Bollywood show in Karachi, Pakistan, for raising funds for the victims of the earthquake of October, 2005, was cancelled due to the denial of visa to a renowned poet and script writer of India.

In the framework of the Composite Dialogue, Ahamed said India has proposed to Pakistan that a liberal visa regime be established for cultural and literary personalities. India, he said has been implementing such a liberal visa policy unilaterally.

On the question of Sir Creek, he said third round of talks were held betwen the two countries on May 25-26, 2006, in New Delhi and delineation of the land boundary and delimitation of the maritime boundary there were discussed.

It was agreed to conduct a joint survey of the Sir Creek and adjoining areas and waters between November 2006 and March 2007, he said adding it was also agreed that the extent and modalities of the joint survey would be worked out in a meeting of technical experts in August 2006.