Good news : My father is one of the Pakistan’s officials.

Bad news : Sir Creek hasn’t been solved yet.

RAWALPINDI: Indian and Pakistani officials held technical-level talks here on Friday to work out modalities for conducting a second joint survey of the Sir Creek area.

Chief Naval Hydrographer Rear Admiral BR Rao held talks with his counterpart, Surveyor General of Pakistan Maj-Gen Jamil-ur-Rahman Afridi at Rawalpindi to determine the modalities for undertaking the survey, which is expected to be completed by March next year.

This would be the second survey to be undertaken by the two parties in the history of the 22 year-long dispute over the marshy strip off the Gulf of Kutch whose determination would enable both countries to finalise their maritime economic zone and intimate the United Nations.

The talks were cordial and friendly and the meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved, the Pakistani Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

It did not elaborate but said: “Both sides underlined the need for the amicable solution of all outstanding issues as it would contribute towards the economic and social prosperity of the region”.

The two sides agreed to hold the survey during the talks held in May this year as part of the third round of Composite Dialogue process in which Sir Creek was one of the subjects being discussed.

The first joint survey on Sir Creek had been conducted by hydrographers of the two countries in January 2005.

Talks would conclude on Saturday after which the two sides were expected to issue a joint statement.