Sushma is in Pakistan to attend the the Heart of Asia conference, but both India and Pakistan are using this conference as an opportunity to carry forward the “constructive” engagement.
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Invited by Pakistan to attend the multilateral meet on Afghanistan, Sushma will attend the conference on Wednesday before holding talks with Aziz who said the focus would be on the resumption of composite dialogue process.
“The NSAs will continue to address all issues connected to terrorism”, said a joint statement issued by Swaraj and Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan’s prime ministerial adviser on foreign affairs.
He urged the government to take up the issue of Indian interference with Sushma Swaraj and show her evidence of RAW’s involvement in terrorist activities in Pakistan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart Nawaz Sharif should broaden their outlook and make something substantial of the political space that they have been able to establish after the events in Paris and Bangkok.
Rehman said Pakistan should raise Kashmir and water issues at the conference.
Sharif welcomed Ghani at the airport in a red-carpet reception with a guard of honour and 21 gun salute, in what was seen as an attempt to thaw frosty ties between the two Muslim neighbours.
The Taliban suspended peace talks in July after news of the death of group leader Mullah Omar was confirmed, leading to a bitter power struggle within the group’s ranks.
Ghani subsequently blamed Pakistan for a surge in Taliban attacks inside Afghanistan, accusing Islamabad of sending “messages of war”.
He said that confidence-building measures laid down in the Istanbul Process charter were “leading to enhanced regional engagement and cooperation” between “Heart of Asia” countries, especially Afghanistan.
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Ghani also met with Pakistan’s military chief Raheel Sharif, who assured him of the military’s “continued full support”, according to an army statement. That is why I have come here to participate. The normally sleepy capital was alive with high-ranking delegations from 14 participating states, 17 supporting countries and 12 worldwide and regional organisations, making a beeline for the conference. beeline for the conference.
