New Delhi: Home secretary Madhukar Gupta, who headed for Islamabad for home secretary-level talks on Monday, might have some explaining to do about last year's Samjhauta Express blasts.
Investigating agencies had at that time blamed Pakistan's ISI for the blasts in which 68 Pakistanis were charred to death. But with Malegaon blasts suspect Col Purohit being probed for alleged involvement in the Samjhauta Express blast there is a strong likelihood of Pakistan's secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah seeking an explanation from Gupta on the issue.
Home ministry officials were dismissive of the possibility of the host country raising the issue during the meeting. Ministry sources admitted, however, that the visiting 10-member delegation was seized of the matter. The fifth home secretaries level meeting between the two countries is slated to discuss liberalising of trade and travel between the two countries and the menace of drug trafficking. But reports of Col Purohit being the brain behind the train blasts could have a dampening affect, sources felt.
In the normal course, the home secretary-level talks are part of the ongoing Indo-Pak composite dialogue process. But this time it has assumed significance in light of the reported involvement of some Hindu fundamentalists in various acts of terror earlier attributed to Pakistan-based terror groups. The last round of talks was held here in July last year.
The high-level Indian delegation consists of representatives from various intelligence agencies, deputy director general of Narcotic Control Bureau and the ministry of external affairs. The delegation went to Pakistan from Wagah instead of flying directly to Islamabad. The Wagah stopover was meant to take stock of preparations for creating an Integrated Check Post for cross-border trade.
Gupta held a high-level meeting at Wagah that was attended by senior officials of railway, finance, commerce, MEA and tourism ministries.
