A six-member team of Pakistan officials has left for Cuba to meet 40 Pakistanis detained in Guantanamo Bay and collect details about their alleged links with al Qaeda.
A Pakistan Interior Ministry spokesman said the team, led by a senior official from the Foreign Office, includes an official from the National Crisis Management Cell, a government department responsible for dealing with national emergencies including terrorism threats.
Another government official, who asked not to be named, said the remaining four were officials from civilian and military agencies including the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency.
"It's a joint investigation team," the source said. "They will meet the Pakistanis in Guantanamo Bay and question them about their alleged links with al Qaeda or other militant organisations."
The source said the team had been sent on the request of the United States, which wanted Pakistan intelligence officials to question their nationals.
"It is too difficult to investigate foreigners with the help of translators," the source said.
The Interior Ministry spokesman said the team had left for the United States and Cuba on Wednesday. He did not say when they were expected to return.
"They will collect the profiles of the 40 Pakistanis who are detained (in Guantanamo Bay)," he said. "They will look into their history and background."
The United States said last month that the number of detainees at Guantanamo Bay had risen to 526, including 100 from Saudi Arabia.