India has sent a high-level 12-member parliamentary delegation led by Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Saifuddin Soz to Pakistan to look for a political solution to the Kashmir tangle, besides discussing steps to build confidence and trust.

This the first Indian visit to Islamabad after the Americans smoked out Osma bin Laden from his hideout in Pakistan’s cantonment town of Abbottabad.

The delegation includes five Congress MPs (Keshava Rao, Aaron Rasheed, Sudharshan Nachiappan, Shadi Lal Batra and Madan Lal Sharma) and thee Left Front members (Syed Aziz Pasha, Mohammad Amin and R C Singh).

Also on board are Tariq Anwar of the Nationaist Congress Party (NCP), Sharifuddin Shariq of National Conference and Rajniti Prasad of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). There is none from opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and no explation was forthcoming why so.

Since the delegation has three MPs from Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmir problem would form core of discussions. Pakistan has always held Kashmir as the core issue.

“We would tell Pakistani friends to use their influence to ensure a political space in Kashmir, by asking militants not to target activists of mainstream political parties,” said Shariq of National Conference which rules J&K. "In return, the governments both the centre and state can ensure a peaceful political space for separatists as well,” he said.

The MPs, who were briefed here by the top foreign ministry officials before they left for Islamabad said they would attempt to reassure Pakistani counterparts to concentrate on the battle against terrorism and extremism as it was threat to the whole region. “We will try to assure them that no existential threat to Pakistan comes from India, as India has no designs on Pakistan,” said a member of the delegation.

Besides meeting Pakistani government functionaries, the delegation will attend a peace conference (May 26-27) organised by the group Pugwash. The group, which takes its name from the location of its meeting held in 1957 in the village of Pugwash in Canada, often brings  together, from around the world, influential scholars and public figures to reduce the danger of armed conflict and seeking cooperative solutions for global problems.