CM to demand making Interlocutors’ report public

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: With 2012 peaceful summer in Kashmir and Amarnath yatra security arrangements high on agenda, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is arriving here tomorrow morning on a one day visit of Jammu, the winter capital of the State, during which he would also review the affairs of Congress party, the major coalition partners in Omar Abdullah led coalition Government in the State.
Governor NN Vohra, who is in New Delhi, K Skandan, Joint Secretary (Kashmir) in Ministry of Home Affairs and Additional Director of Intelligence Bureau, Rajiv Kapoor would accompany the Union Home Minister during his one day trip to Jammu from New Delhi.
Authoritative sources said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who would host lunch for the Union Home Minister at his official residence, would take up the issue of making Interlocutors’ report on Kashmir public for debate and discussion followed by its implementation to ensure that it didn’t meet the fate of many such previous reports.
Sources said repetition of peaceful summer of 2011 in 2012 after three consecutive summer unrest in 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the Kashmir valley would dominate security review meeting, which would be attended by top brass of civil administration, police, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies of the State including Chief Secretary Madhav Lal, Home Secretary BR Sharma, Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda, Special DG CRPF, J&K, Anirudh Uppal, IG BSF Jammu Frontiers, AK Jain, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Samoon, IGP Kashmir SM Sahai, IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh, IGP CID B Srinivas and heads of other Central Police Forces and Intelligence agencies operating in the State.
The security review meeting that was expected to last at least two hours would be held at banquet hall of the Chief Minister’s residence.
Besides Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani would be present in the meeting.
Sources said the Home Minister would devise a strategy to ensure a peaceful summer in the Kashmir valley in 2012 like the previous year of 2011. It may be mentioned that more than 100 people were killed in summer unrest in the Valley in 2010.
Recruitments drives in para-military forces, police, State Government and private sector across the country were among a host of options to engage youth in different activities so that they were not lured by the separatists, sources said adding that the security review meeting would work on various strategies to tackle separatists and militants.
Para-military, police and Intelligence agencies would give a detailed review of security scenario on the International Border (IB) in Jammu and internal security across the State on militancy front, which had seen a massive decline all over the State during past couple of years. No successful infiltration attempt has been allowed on the border, sources said.
Upcoming Baba Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir Himalayas from June 25 to August 2 would also figure in security review. Sources said the State police would seek additional para-military forces from the Union Home Ministry, like previous years, for deployment on highways and two tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal to ensure smooth pilgrimage.
Sources said the Chief Minister would take up the issue of the report of Interlocutors with Mr Chidambaram. Omar would stress that the report should be made public for debate and discussions of all sections of society and implementation of recommendations.
The report, prepared by the Interlocutors-Dileep Padgaonkar, a noted journalist, Prof Radha Kumar, an academician and MM Ansari, a former Information Commissioner after an year long tour of the State, had been submitted to the Union Home Minister in October last year. However, despite lapse of six months, it has not been officially made public so far though its contents occasionally continued to appear in both national and regional media, which were neither denied nor confirmed by anyone.
In the just concluded budget session of the Legislature, Omar had demanded that report of the Interlocutors should be made public for debate.
The Chief Minister would also take up the issue of partial revocation of Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Srinagar and Badgam districts of J&K and removal of more bunkers of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from Srinagar in a phased manner as situation was gradually improving in the State.
Sources said Mr Chidambaram on his arrival at Jammu Airport at 9 am from New Delhi would straightway fly to Sanji Chhat and trek remaining three kilometers on foot to reach holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji to pay obeisance. Governor NN Vohra, who happened to be chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), would accompany him.
The Home Minister would be briefed on security and other arrangements made for the pilgrims at Bhawan, 13 kilometer track and Katra.
He would return to Jammu and have two hour long security review meeting at the Chief Minister’s official resident. He would also have lunch with the Chief Minister.
Mr Chidambaram would reach the State Guest House in the afternoon where he was scheduled to meet a Congress delegation comprising PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, Lal Singh and Madan Lal Sharma, both MPs, selected MLAs and MLCs and majority of top office bearers of the PCC (I).
He would also inter-act with a delegation of All Party Sikh Co-ordination Committee.
The Home Minister would leave for Dehradun, Uttarakhand in the evening where he was schedule to address a function at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration on April 11.

* Decision likely to give major boost to tourism industry

By Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 9: In a major decision, the State Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, here this morning, approved the revised package of incentives for the tourism industry. The package will be applicable till December 2014 and is likely to give major boost to the tourism, which is the back-bone of State’s economy.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that need for revision in the package of incentives for the tourism industry was being felt over the last several years. Not only there was persistent demand from travel trade associations to widen the scope of incentives and extend the benefit to more areas, even the Expert Group on Employment in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Dr C Ranga Rajan had also recommended the revision of list of locations eligible for incentives to encourage private investment.
Moreover, while approving the incentives for two years from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2010, the Chief Minister had also advised to revise the incentives. Accordingly, the Tourism Department worked out a revised package of incentives, which after detailed discussions received the concurrence of the Planning and Development as well as Finance Departments, sources said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather, while presenting budget for 2012-13 in the Legislative Assembly on March 5, 2012, had also touched the issue pertaining to the incentives for the tourism industry.
Today, the Cabinet approved the revised package of incentives for tourism industry and extended its applicability till December 2014, sources said while stating that the decision would go a long way in further boosting the tourism industry, which is the back-bone of the State’s economy.
“In the revised package, the list of areas eligible for capital investment subsidy has been expanded substantially and now there is only one list in which both capital investment subsidy and subsidy for conversion of private houses into paying guest houses would be applicable”, sources said, adding “capital investment subsidy for new prestigious units involving an investment of Rs 25 crore or more in fixed assets including cost of land has been increased from Rs 60 lakh to Rs 100 lakh”.
For purchase of new DG sets, 75 per cent subsidy with a ceiling of Rs 4 lakh would be provided as a one time measure in case of hotels and guest houses. Moreover, subsidy of 50 per cent of cost of equipment used in adventure/ recreation tourism subject to a ceiling of Rs 7 lakh (instead of Rs 5 lakh at present) as one time measure would be available, sources said.
“Fifty per cent subsidy would be available for the replacement/ purchase of new tourist coaches with a ceiling of Rs 7 lakh to the Jammu and Kashmir State permit holders plying their coaches on recognized tourist routes for transportion of tourists”, they said while informing that at present the subsidy is available only for replacement of tourist coaches.
A subsidy of 50 per cent of the cost of office automation/ communication networking/ computing system and other equipment with a ceiling of Rs 4 lakh would be reimbursable to the travel agencies registered with the Tourism Department for up-gradation of existing travel agencies or setting up of new travel agencies in the specified tourist areas as one time measure, sources said, adding the other existing incentives will also continue.
Sources said that proposal of the Revenue Department regarding enhancement of honorarium of Numberdars and Chowkidars was not cleared by the Cabinet with the observations that enhancement of honorarium of Numberdars and Chowkidars without fixing any honorarium for Sarpanchs and Panches would not be a wise decision.
“The Rural Development Department was directed by the Cabinet to prepare a proposal in consultation with the Finance Department for fixing honorarium of Sarpanchs and Panches”, they said, adding “the proposals regarding enhancement of honorarium of Numberdars and Chowkidars and Sarpanches and Panchs would be jointly considered by the Cabinet”.
The Cabinet approved implementation of National Population Register (NPR) Project in the State in place of Aadhar Project.
It also gave nod to the selection of Patwar trainees through J&K Board of Professional Entrance Examination (BOPEE) with the modifications that the examinations will be conducted by BOPEE at the district level by associating the concerned Deputy Commissioners and making selection in accordance with the Reservation Rules.
The Cabinet also approved transfer of State land measuring 192 kanal and 34 marla situated in estates Namble Narkara and Hamchipora of tehsils Budgam and Khag respectively of District Budgam, in favour of Sher-e- Kashmir University of Agriculture Science and Technology, Shalimar, Srinagar, for the establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
The transfer of land measuring 300 kanal and 5 marla situated in villages of Hrudubani, Lalpora and Mangloora, tehsil Tangmarg for establishment of Krishi Vigyan Kendra and transfer of State land measuring 362 kanal and 13 marla for construction of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at village Marta and construction of residential quarters for employees of Krishi Vigyan Kendra in village Ramnagar also received the nod of Cabinet.

‘Many elements bent upon creating wedge’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said that peace is imperative for the development and socio-economic prosperity of the State besides creating stability and addressing all the issues amicably.

Addressing a huge public gathering at Purmandal in Samba district, the Chief Minister said, “the dividends of peace in the shape of generation of economic activities, revival of tourism and carrying development to all corners of the State are visible on the ground across the State”.
“We have seen the desperation and destruction caused by disturbance and violence. We have also seen the benefits of prevailing peace in the State since last year”, he said asking the people to contribute in maintaining tranquility so that the State moves on the road to progress and prosperity firmly.
Mr Omar said that his Government has also percolated peace benefits to the people in the shape of softening of the provisions of acts like PSA. “We are also working for removing other laws imposed owing to the disturbance and violence”, he added.
Asking the people to maintain communal amity and brotherhood under all circumstances, he said, “many elements are bent upon creating wedge between various sections of the society. People have to be cautious against these elements and strengthen the bonds of harmony and love”.
The Chief Minister said that Government has flagged comprehensive development of farmers and ruralites as an important aspect in the State’s development policy. “We have initiated various measures to give necessary fillip to the development of agriculture”, he said, adding “this sector has been made free from all taxes in the current year’s Budget.
“Similarly, Government is keen to alleviate the rural poverty and bring villages at par with towns and cities so far as availability of basic amenities and other development matters are concerned”, he further said.
On Kandi development, the Chief Minister said, “the Government is working on a project to irrigate parched areas in Samba district by constructing an irrigation canal”, adding “Government has decided to spend 10 percent of the water charges collected from power companies for enhancing irrigation facilities in the Kandi areas. The State has collected around Rs 500 crore water charges so far and Rs 50 crore would be incurred on the construction of Kandi Canal out of this amount, Mr Omar further said.
He said that development of agro-based MSME sector is being encouraged along with the economic activities relating to the rearing of cattle. “The State is the highest consumer of mutton and chicken in the country. We have greater opportunities of harnessing this sector”, he said elaborating that the State Government’s measures in this regard have started yielding results and the graph of mutton and chicken import from outside the State is showing gradual decline.
About transfer of power from Secretariat to the public representatives, he said, “establishment of Panchayat Raj, Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA), constitution of Jammu and Kashmir State Right to Information Commission and strengthening of Accountability Commission are initiatives in this direction”.
Maintaining that the process of constitution of Block Panchayat and District Panchayat Councils has been set in motion and this would be finalized soon after the Legislative Council seats reserved for panchayats are filled up from amongst the panchayat members, the Chief Minister said. “we are committed to a full-fledged three-tier panchayat system in the State”.
Mr Omar said that enactment of PSGA is an innovative legislation aimed at time bound public service delivery and reduction of corruption at lower level. “Around 50 public services in 6 departments of Power, Transport, Water Supply, Consumer Affairs, Housing and Revenue have been identified for time bound delivery under the Act”, he said, adding “any official found showing laxity or failure in the delivery of services like issuance of state subject, ration card, ST/SC certificate, power or water connection, driving license etc will be liable to fine to the tune of Rs 5000. The affected consumer would be entitled to a compensation out of this amount”.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Finance, Abdul Rahim Rather highlighted the efficacy of Pubic Service Guarantee Act in making the service delivery prompt and reducing the chances of corruption. “The Chief Minister has directed for bringing more public services under the ambit of the Act”, he said, adding “clearance of passport cases and issuance of character certificate by the police department for employment are also being brought under the Act”.
Referring to the benefits of SKEWPY, he said that this programme provides greater opportunities to youth to venture into self livelihood earning ventures for which Government is providing free seed money equal to 1/3 and Jammu and Kashmir Bank 3/4 of the total cost.
Mr Rather cautioned the people about the nefarious designs of those who are bent upon to divide the society for vested interests. “People are well versed about their stigmatised past and their only aim is to mislead the people as they did in the past”, he added.
The public meeting was also addressed by Minister for Industries, S S Slathia, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Devender Singh Rana, Ajay Sadhotra, Master Noor Hussain, Javid Rana and provincial president, NC, Rattan Lal Gupta.

Sixth Pay Commission arrears scam
From Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, April 9: In violation of the financial code with regard to the sixth Pay Commission arrears, several Government departments have released crores of rupees arrears for the adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees.

According to the Government order (No. 238-F of 2011 dated 30-09-2011), the sixth Pay Commission arrears were to be paid to the State Government employees in 5 equal installments in 5 years.
These arrears are being credited to the GP Fund of the employees and have no lock up period. However, for those employees who have retired upto 30-09-2011, the arrears will be paid in cash in 5 equal installments. In case of a death of a Government employee, his family is entitled to the cash payment of the arrears, as per the Government order.
According to the Government order, adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees were not entitled to these arrears but several departments including Technical Education, Health and Power Development Department (PDD) have released arrears in the favour of the employees in gross violation of financial code with regard to the sixth Pay Commission.
The first installments of arrears have been released to these employees in cash by the drawing and disbursing officers of these departments in league with concerned treasury officers. Sources said that the amount in cash was shared by the employees and drawing and disbursing officers of these departments’ and treasury officers on 50-50 basis.
The treasuries passed these bills in the last week of the financial year and since these employees are not regular so it was paid in cash to them while it was credited to the GP Fund of the regular employees.
According to reports DDO’s of Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) of the department of Technical Education of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pattan, Pulwama, Rohama, Kupwara and Bandipora have paid arrears to their adhoc, consolidated and contractual employees.
The ITI Anantnag, Baramulla and Seer Hamadhan too have submitted the arrears’ bills to the respective treasuries but the treasury officers have refused to release the money with the remarks that these employees were not regular and not entitled to the arrears.
The ITI Bemina and Shopian neither submitted their arrears’ bills nor have paid the arrears to these employees and have told such employees working there that they were not entitled to arrears. A group of employees told Excelsior that this is double standard on part of the department as some of the employees have been paid arrears in cash while others have been denied the arrears.
When contacted, Mohammad Asharaf Zargar, Accounts Officer Finance Department posted in Technical Education, told Excelsior that as per the rules these employees are not entitled to the arrears. “It has not come to our notice”, he added.
The other departments who have paid arrears to their employees are Health and PDD. This has also been done by the drawing and disbursing officers of these departments in league with the treasury officers.
One of the employee leaders while commenting on payment of arrears to the non-deserving employees in cash said that on one hand the Government is saying it is facing financial crunch and refused to pay the arrears in cash to its regular employees, on the other hand it is paying arrears in cash to non-deserving employees.

ISI’s KAC chief told Virginia court that a UPA Minister was in touch with him before arrest
Excelsior Special Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: ISI-sponsored Kashmiri American Council (KAC) founder-chairman, Sayyid Ghulam Nabi Fai, had made a sensational disclosure in his last-ditch effort to escape punishment in the district court of Fairfax in Virginia. He made unsuccessful attempts to project himself as a champion of the “Kashmiri freedom movement” and a “peace broker” between India and Pakistan. During this attempt, he claimed before court that a Cabinet Minister of Dr Manmohan Singh’s UPA-II Government had met with him days before he was arrested in July 2011.  According to sources closely watching the court proceedings in Virginia, Fai made every possible attempt to claim that he was a “peace broker” between New Delhi and Islamabad, as also a “Kashmir freedom activist” rather than being ISI’s agent to promote Pakistan’s strategy on the Kashmir issue. He, however, failed to convince the judge. The judge even trashed ‘certificates’ issued by Indian nationals, including some prominent intellectuals, with the observation that this operation too had been engineered and executed on behalf of ISI. During the course of proceedings, Fai claimed that he had remained “closely associated” with the Indian intelligentsia and the establishment in his attempts of enforcing ceasefire between the Indian security forces and the Kashmiri militants in the year 2000. He claimed that he had remained in touch with then NDA head and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee through his National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and a New-Delhi based journalist, namely R K Mishra. He claimed that on the other side, he was in a liaison with the Hizbul Mujahideen chief, Syed Salah-ud-din, and some of Kashmir’s radical separatist leaders like Syed Ali Shah Geelani.  Apart from working together for over a decade for Jamaat-e-Islami, Fai and Salah-ud-din were both residents of Soibug village in Budgam district. However, the ceasefire announced by senior Hizbul functionary, late Abdul Majid Dar, on July 24, 2000, proved to be shortlived when Salah-ud-din announced its withdrawal in a dramatic development within 12 days in a press conference at Hotel Holiday Inn in Islamabad.  Fai’s most sensational disclosure came in his claim that a cabinet Minister of Dr Manmohan Singh’s Government was “in touch” with him and had met with him just days before Fai was arrested near the American capital in July 2011. Sources said Fai neither identified the Minister nor the venue of the “secret meeting”. Even the judge, according to sources, showed no keenness to enquire about the identity of the Indian Minister or his purported meeting with Fai. The judge, according to sources who are Kashmiri Muslims settled in USA, remained adamant that defendant Fai had been operating strictly according to the brief given to him by ISI and against the money provided by the Pakistani intelligence agency. Insignificant financial contributions made to a number of American political leaders, including former President Bill Clinton and incumbent President Barrack Obama, during their election campaigns, were dismissed as part of ISI’s strategy to influence the Senators, Congressmen and heads of the state on Islamabad’s stand on Kashmir. Unconfirmed reports said that Fai even referred to a meeting with one of former Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir about a decade ago but it was not confirmed by the sources present in crucial sessions of the hearing. Surprisingly, those roped in by ISI to project Fai as a “Kashmiri rights activist” through their barrage of letters to the judge, included some officials of the Omar Abdullah government. One of them, a lady professor in Department of English at University of Kashmir, has written a strongly-worded letter to the judge, claiming therein that Dr Fai had been fighting for the cause of Kashmir’s freedom from India and, thus, deserved, treatment of a freedom fighter. Interestingly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah happens to be the Pro Chancellor and Governor N N Vohra as Chancellor of the University of Kashmir.  This teacher is reportedly the wife of a radical separatist leader. She has never hesitated in attending all of Fai’s ISI-sponsored conferences in USA, Pakistan and other countries and has also strongly advocated the cause of Kashmir’s separation from India on different television channels of India and foreign countries. Listed among Fai’s beneficiaries, she is said to have acquired an expensive house in a posh locality of Hyderpora earlier this year.  Sources in the Indian establishment insist that a retired engineer, Jitender Bakhshi, was among some non-Muslims ISI wanted to attend Fai’s international conferences to mislead the Americans that KAC was pursuing a secular agenda. He was roped in by a senior journalist and Jammu-based editor. Even the draft of a resolution at a conference in 2010 was drafted by Bakhshi alongwith the Jammu editor and a Srinagar-based columnist Ghulam Mohammad Zahid. Even in 2011, Fai, on behalf of ISI, had financially supported a conference organized by Muzaffarabad University. A number of ‘intellectuals’ and journalists from Srinagar and Jammu had participated in the conference held in last week of April 2011. Even after “adverse field reports”, CID of J&K Government had chosen to remain a mute spectator to this activity. Sources said that a recently constituted Special Investigation Team, headed by SSP Budgam Uttam Chand, would thoroughly investigate, in close coordination with IB, RAW, NIA and Enforcement Directorate, whether ISI’s contribution to J&K-based media publications had remained restricted to buying opinion pieces of the journalists or it had also gone to providing substantial funding to newspapers and news agencies.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: Army today apprehended a Pakistani national on the Line of Control (LoC) at Salhutri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district while a mysterious blast took place in a dustbin at City Chowk area of Poonch this morning but there were no casualties or major damage.
Official sources said troops of 39 Rashtriya Rifles intercepted and apprehended a Pakistani national as soon as he crossed into this side from the LoC at forward village of Salhutri in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district this morning.
The Pakistani national disclosed his identity as Mohammad Sharief, 26, son of Choudhary Ban Mohammad, a resident of village Troti, Abbaspur in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).
An identity card of Pakistan Government and Rs 2500 in Pakistani currency were recovered from his possession.
Army troops quizzed the Pakistani national during which he disclosed that he had crossed over to this side inadvertently.
In the evening, Army handed over the youth to local police for sustained questioning.
Meanwhile, a mysterious blast took place in a dustbin kept on roadside at crowded City Chowk area of Poonch town at about 9.30 am today creating panic in the area.
SSP Poonch Ashkoor Wani denied that it was a blast.
He said some kind of gas might have led to fire in the dustbin. Investigations were on to find out nature of the gasses or whatever material led to fire in the dustbin, he added.
However, the mysterious blast triggered panic in the area as a school bus was crossing City Chowk at that time. A scooter parked in vicinity of the dustbin suffered damage but there were no casualties or injuries to the passers-by.
“As the area was crowded one, there would have been casualties in case an explosive device had gone off in the dustbin”, sources said, adding only the dustbin caught fire after a sound.
However, people deserted the spot for sometime and panic gripped the area.
Additional SP Poonch Yougal Manhas and DySP (Operations), Poonch Javed Iqbal rushed to the spot along with police and cordoned off area.
Sources said the forensic experts have seized relevant material from the dustbin to find out the nature of mysterious blast.
Normalcy was restored in Poonch town after sometime, police said.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 9: Arun Kumar Thatai today took over as the new Income Tax Commissioner of J&K Circle
“Mr Thatai of 1985 batch of IRS who has served in various capacities at New Delhi, Mumbai, Hissar and Amritsar, this morning took over as new CIT,” official sources here said.
They said the new Commissioner Income Tax (CIT) has served in the State as CIT Appeals between 2005-2007.

NEW DELHI, Apr 9:
The Defence Ministry today said the overall security situation in J&K was “stable” but had the potential of “deteriorating” at a very short notice.
In its annual report released today, the ministry said the need of the hour was to consolidate the gains in the improved situation.
“The security situation in J&K has been stable in 2011 with an overall reduction in violence. However, it has the potential to deteriorate at short notice,” the ministry said in its report.
“The Pakistan-terrorist-separatist nexus continues their attempts to foment trouble with an aim to internationalise the Kashmir issue.”
The ministry said the army and other security forces are mainly credited for improving the environment through effective counter terrorist operations.
It noted that 56 cases of ceasefire violation took place along the Line of Control in 2011.
On North East, the ministry said the prevailing security situation there has been stabilised and is under control and “violence levels have subsided significantly as compared to previous years”.
“There is widespread support for peace by all sections of the society facilitating progress on developmental projects,” it said.
According to the report, in Assam, the peace talks involving the pro-talk faction of ULFA were progressing well but the Paresh Barua-led faction was continuing its efforts to sabotage the parleys. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, Apr 9:
India has sought dates from Pakistan for a bilateral meeting between the Home Secretaries of the two countries after May 22 when the Budget session of Parliament comes to an end.
New Delhi has conveyed to Islamabad that it is not possible for Home Secretary R K Singh to travel to Pakistan on April 16 as suggested by it for the talks since a meeting of Chief Ministers on internal security will be held on that day.
“We have asked for fresh dates after the Parliament session,” Singh told reporters here.
Budget session of Parliament will end on May 22.
Last week, Pakistan had suggested the April 16 as the possible date for the Home Secretary level talks to be held in Islamabad but the date clashes with the crucial meeting of the Chief Ministers which is hosted by the Home Ministry.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said in Lahore yesterday that it had been agreed that the Interior and Home Secretaries of Pakistan and India would meet on April 16.
The bilateral meeting will be held amid renewed engagements between India and Pakistan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted a lunch for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari yesterday when he was here on a “private visit”.
Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had said when the Prime Minister took up with Zardari the issue of action against 26/11 perpetrators and activities of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, Pakistan President suggested that further discussion on Saeed was required and since the Home Secretaries of the two countries will be meeting shortly, the issue will be taken up that time.
Last month Singh met Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on the sidelines of Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
Earlier, India had proposed the Home Secretary level talks on December 22-23, 2011 but Islamabad could not give its consent due to its domestic political situation at that time.
This will be the first meeting between Home Secretary R K Singh and his Pakistani counterpart K Siddique Akbar.
Their predecessors Gopal K Pillai and Qamar Zaman Chaudhary, had met in March 2011 in New Delhi. (PTI)

Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Apr 9: An Army soldier was killed in a grenade explosion in Keri sector near the Line of Control in Rajouri today.
Reports said one Hardeep Singh of Sikh Regiment, presently deployed in Keri sector was seriously injured when a grenade exploded in his hands at Chiti Bakri ( K-1) post at some forward location. The mishap took place when the jawan was busy in an exercise. Due to mishandling of the grenade, it exploded in hands at around 10.15 am.
The jawan, hailing from Punjab was rushed to Rajouri hospital but he succumbed to injuries on the way. The body of the jawan was dispatched to his home this afternoon. The Army authorities have ordered court of inquiry into the incident.