Though the meeting has been termed as 'courtesy call', sources said during their 30-minute deliberations, Malik discussed with Singh issues that were expected to figure at the bilateral talks scheduled to be held in Islamabad on May 24-25.
Ahead of the Indo-Pak Home Secretary talks, Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik on Friday hoped that dialogue between the two countries on all issues, including Siachen and Sir Creek, will make progress.
The Al Qaeda-linked terror group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami has threatened to attack Pakistan's foreign office, its high commission in India and top diplomats if Islamabad does not stop sharing information about it with New Delhi. HuJI has threatened it will attack the foreign office, the foreign secretary, Pakistan's high commission in New Delhi and High Commissioner Shahid Malik if its demand is not met.
Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir is set to become Pakistan's High Commissioner in India as part of the biggest reshuffle of envoys approved by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, according to a media report on Tuesday.
Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik today met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and discussed the possibility of a bilateral meeting between Foreign Secretaries of the two countries on the sidelines of the SAARC ministerial meeting in Colombo this week.
Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik on Wednesday met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and discussed issues related to the India-Pakistan meeting scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 25. Malik met Rao after his return from Islamabad, where he held consultations with the Pakistan government on the forthcoming meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries, sources said. After a 14-month hiatus, India on January 28 offered to hold talks with Pakistan.
India on Friday handed over to Pakistan the replies to the 30 questions, about the terror attack on Mumbai in November last year, posed by that country. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee handed over India' reply to Pakistan High Commissioner Sahid Malik. Earlier, Home Minister P Chidambaram had handed over the document along with evidence to Mukherjee. He had added that each and every question posed by Islamabad had been answered adequately.
Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik has met Home Minister P Chidambaram and is understood to have discussed aspects related to the Mumbai terror attacks.
"A request for enhancement of security was received from the Pakistan High Commission six days back after which necessary action was taken," official sources said. They, however, said the letter could be a prank played by somebody.
India handed over "additional information" on Mumbai attacks to Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik, who met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao in New Delhi on Friday. During the meeting held following a request by Malik, additional information on the 26/11 terror attacks including inputs on some of the key aspects and accused involved was given by Rao.
With India offering to hold foreign secretary level talks, Pakistan's High Commissioner Shahid Malik on Friday met Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to finalise the dates for the meeting.India has proposed two set of dates in February and is awaiting a response from Pakistan over them, sources said. Reflecting a thaw in bilateral relations, Rao had telephoned her Pakistani counterpart Salman Bashir about a week ago to invite him to Delhi for talks.Bashir had welcomed the offer.
Pakistan has to do more to dismantle the terror infrastructure on its soil if it wants to resume the peace process with New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in New Delhi on Tuesday."As far as the composite dialogue is concerned, it has been paused. We expect Pakistan to do more to dismantle the terror infrastructure," Mukherjee told reporters. Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik had met Mukherjee on Monday.
Pakistan High Commissioner to India Shahid Malik summoned by Ministry of External Affairs in connection with the Mumbai terror attacks, sources told PTI. India had blamed elements in Pakistan as being responsible for the attacks.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Singh said that Ram Jethmalani was a maverick with a difference.
The two sides also discussed issues related to release of prisoners, trade, confidence-building measures and other matters listed under the composite dialogue process.
Malik's earlier stint in New Delhi was as Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner between 1992 and 1995.
The new High Commissioner, who succeeds Aziz Ahmad Khan, is taking over at a time when the two countries have decided to push forward their relations despite challenges.