Amidst efforts by both India and Pakistan not to allow the Samjhauta Express blasts to derail their peace process, Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri arrived in Delhi on Tuesday saying the incident underscores the urgent need for meaningful cooperation against terror between the two countries.
Kasuri, who drove straight from the airport to Safdarjung Hospital to see Pakistanis injured in the train blast, said he had come here on a "mission to improve relations" between the two countries and "carry forward" the peace process.
"Incidents like these which affect both countries and people can only add to the urgency for the need for cooperation," he told reporters in Delhi.
The two countries need to cooperate with each other "meaningfully," said the Pakistani Foreign Minister who will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee under the joint commission in Delhi on Wednesday.
The issue of terrorism and security for travellers between the two countries is expected to dominate the agenda of the meeting primarily convened for discussing ways to enhance cooperation in trade, economy and social sectors.
The two sides will sign some agreements, including one on reducing risks from nuclear accidents.
Pointing out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had decided in September to set up a joint anti-terror mechanism, Kasuri said, "I am sure they were aware that it was a very serious exercise."
The first meeting of the mechanism will be held in Islamabad on March 6. Kasuri, who arrived on a four-day visit, said terrorism was a global phenomenon and it affected people of both the countries.
The two countries need to cooperate "meaningfully", he said adding, if Dr Singh and Musharraf are serious, it will travel down to officials.
On the train blast, he said Pakistan was waiting for the report from the Indian government. Dr Singh, during his talk with Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz on Monday, had said information that Indian authorities get with regard to the blasts will be shared with Pakistan, he said.
"It goes without saying that Pakistan is as interested as the Indian authorities to get to the bottom of this very unfortunate criminal activity," the Pakistani minister said.
Asked whether he thought any Hindu group could be behind the blasts, Kasuri he did not want to prejudge the probe.
"This is an unfortunate way of looking at things," he said and added that he did not want to even speculate.
On terrorism in his country, Kasuri said it was the legacy of the fight the US, European countries and some others undertook along with Pakistan against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
Not only Pakistan, the US, European countries and some others invited young men from Muslim countries to come to areas bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets, he said.
"Pakistan alone is not responsible. It is easy to find scapegoats," he said.
After meeting the injured Pakistanis at Safdarjung hospital, Kasuri expressed gratitude to the doctors attending on them.
He said steps were being taken to take the injured people back, but it would depend on clearance by the doctors. He said one of the injured is in a critical condition while eight others are improving.
