The stalled talks between India and Pakistan on the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue may get a fresh lease of life with a proposed meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Pakistan counterpart Sartaj Aziz on March 17 in Nepal.

This meeting will take place on the sidelines of the SAARC Council of Ministers’ Meeting. It comes in the backdrop of Pathankot air-force base attack which India has alleged was carried out by Pakistan-based militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad.

“All issues will be discussed during the meeting although both countries are constantly in touch with each other since the Pathankot attacks … This can be an opportunity when both might find out a new date for foreign secretary-level talks,” a senior official told BusinessLine on condition of anonymity. Apart from the progress made in the Pathankot investigations, Swaraj might also raise the issue of delay in the trial of 26/11 Mumbai attacks. On their side, Pakistan might also put forward its plans to send to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the Pathankot attacks apart from seeking permission to interrogate some more witnesses to the 26/11 attacks.

Vikas Swarup, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs, had said last week that if Pakistan wants examine more witnesses, India is open to considering it. He also said India is awaiting a response from Pakistan on sending the SIT to India.

Aziz will also be extending Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s formal invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 19th SAARC Summit being hosted by Pakistan in Islamabad later this year.

Modi had said last year that he was keen on attending the SAARC Summit. Swaraj’s meeting with Aziz “could pave the way” for a much-awaited meeting between the two leaders during the upcoming Nuclear Summit in Washington from March 30-April 1, the official said.

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