Rajnath Singh to visit Pakistan for Saarc home ministers’ meet in August

Sources said the home minister will raise the issue of cross-border terrorism at the meeting.

At the 13th Saarc Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005, the heads of state decided that the SAARC interior/home ministers would meet annually preceded by a meeting of the interior/home secretaries to strengthen cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism, which they agreed was a challenge to all states and a threat to humanity, and could not be justified on any grounds.

The first meeting of Saarc interior/home ministers was held in Dhaka on May 11, 2006, followed by a meeting in New Delhi in 2007.

The visit comes at a time when India-Pakistan ties are seeing a chill in the aftermath of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Kashmir has been on the boil since the death 22-year-old Wani on July 8 in an encounter in southern Kashmir. His death sparked violent protests in the Valley that killed more than 40 people and wounded hundreds.

Pakistani leaders have criticised India over the Kashmir unrest, and the country observed on July 20 a “black day” to protest against the killings. The move drew angry reaction from India, which accused Islamabad of interfering in New Delhi’s internal affairs and backing terrorism.