Pakistan foreign secretary calls on SM Krishna

Pakistan foreign secretary Salman Bashir today called on external affairs minister SM Krishna and discussed bilateral relations.

Bashir, who was in New Delhi for talks with his counterpart Nirupama Rao, was with Krishna for about an hour.

They are understood to have taken stock of the bilateral relations and reviewed the discussions that were held between the two foreign secretaries yesterday.

India has emphasised that it wants to improve relations with Pakistan but for that Islamabad will have to end cross-border terrorism.

As the countries resumed talks after 14-month break caused by the Mumbai attack, India yesterday handed over three dossiers detailing the anti-India terror activities emanating from Pakistan with the expectation that Pakistan will act against it.

The dossier contains names of 34 terrorists, including LeT chief Hafiz Saeed, whom Indian wants to be handed over or punished in Pakistan.

The Pakistani side has made a strong pitch for resumption of composite dialogue but the Indians fended it off saying the time was not "right" and advocated a graduated step-by-step approach.

Bashir was accompanied by Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik.