Crucial India-Pakistan Meet Today on Sidelines of Heart of Asia

India and Pakistan are set to hold the third bilateral engagement at the top level in less than 10 days.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on her arrival at Nur Khan Airbase, Islamabad in Pakistan on Tuesday. (Photo: PTI)

India and Pakistan are set to hold the third bilateral engagement at the top political level in less than 10 days on the sidelines of the 5th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process on Afghanistan in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Following an impromptu meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif in Paris on the sidelines of the Paris climate change conference on November 30, the national security advisers of the two sides met in Bangkok on December 6 and discussed all major issues, including Kashmir.

Sushma Swaraj is expected to take this process forward during her likely meetings with Prime Minister Sharif and his Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.

On Tuesday, soon after her arrival here, she attended a dinner hosted by Aziz in honour of the visiting delegates of the Heart of Asia conference.

Swaraj is expected to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at 2:30 pm today.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the conference attended by delegates of various countries, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said,

As long as there is instability in Afghanistan, Asia will remain unstable. Afghanistan is more than a neighbour. Pakistan will continue to promote Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process.

Will join hands with Pakistan and Afghanistan for trade. We acknowledge Afghan government’s role in ensuring peace, salute Afghan security forces for countering terrorism. It is our collective responsibility to fight terrorist forces. India ready to work with Afghanistan to strengthen security forces.

Sushma Swaraj, Indian External Affairs Minister at the inaugural session

“India’s vision for Afghanistan is one of interlinked trade, transit, energy and communication routes with the country as an important hub,” she said.

She hinted at the resumption of trade between India and Pakistan and said, “India extends its hand to Pakistan as well. It is time that we display the maturity and self-confidence to do business with each other.”

She added,

For its part, India is prepared to move the cooperation at a pace which Pakistan is comfortable with. It is our collective duty to ensure that the forces of terrorism and extremism do not find sanctuaries and safe havens in any name, form or manifestation.

India to Host Next ‘Heart of Asia’

India will host the next multilateral meeting on Afghanistan in the last quarter of 2016.

Talking to reporters after the meeting of the senior officials of the participating nations at the Heart of Asia conference here, Indian delegates said that the gathering was working on a declaration which will call for denial of sanctuaries and safe havens to terrorists in the region.

The senior officials’ meeting was part of the ‘Istanbul Process’ aimed at enhancing cooperation for countering security threats and promoting connectivity in the region. “The significant development is that India is going to host the next Heart of Asia conference in the last quarter of 2016,” officials said.

Giving details of the ongoing deliberations, the officials said the aim is coordinate the efforts of the countries in the region to support Afghanistan in achieving peace and stability.

(With agency inputs.)