The Havana script played out to its logical conclusion today with India and Pakistan setting up an anti-terror mechanism and in doing so, bringing the peace process back on track after the Mumbai blasts led to postponement of Foreign Secretary-level talks. While 7/11 was not among the cases on which evidence was shared with Pakistan today, sources said, the newly created group would meet soon after the Mumbai police files its chargesheet in the case.

“ Because of our legal processes, we cannot today give them formal material or evidence, or make demands until we complete our own legal processes. Anything else would amount to contempt of our own courts and this we cannot do,” Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon said after the talks.

But the very agreement on a mechanism has allowed the two sides to ensure the peace process is not disturbed. In fact, the plan laid out in the joint statement indicates that the fourth round of the Composite Dialogue shall begin in February next year, a clear effort at making up for time lost due to the Mumbai blasts and subsequent postponement of meetings.

The mechanism will be a three-member team from each side headed by Additional Secretary (International Organisation) K C Singh in the case of India. The other two members will be joint secretary-level officials with one from the Home Ministry. However, both countries have the choice to nominate the other two members to the group.

It was also indicated that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will visit Pakistan next month for a meeting of the bilateral joint commission which was earlier to be held in August first week. While expressing satisfaction at the talks over the past couple of days, Pakistan Foreign Secretary Riaz Muhammad Khan objected to the immediate “fingerpointing”after any incident like the Mumbai blasts. To that extent, setting up the mechanism also addresses this repeated concern of Islamabad as India can immediately activate this channel for carrying ahead investigations.

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