ISLAMABAD - Pakistan yesterday confirmed it will attend the Heart of Asia Conference scheduled to be held in India in coming December as the two nations are feeling the heat due to the Line of Control violations almost on a daily basis.
The confirmation came weeks after India decided to skip the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Islamabad – scheduled for November – resulting ultimately in its postponement.
India is hosting the upcoming Heart of Asia Conference in Amritsar. One of the 14-member countries of Istanbul Process, India volunteered to host the sixth meeting.
The Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process was established to provide a platform to discuss regional issues, particularly encouraging security, political, and economic cooperation among Afghanistan and its neighbours.
This region-led dialogue was launched in November 2011 to expand practical coordination between Afghanistan and its neighbours and regional partners in facing common threats, including counterterrorism, counternarcotics, poverty, and extremism. The United States and over 20 other nations and organizations serve as “supporting nations” to the process.
The last Heart of Asia - Istanbul Ministerial Process was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on December 9, 2015. Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had attended the last meeting.
Speaking to journalists here after attending a photo exhibition event organised by the UN, Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan always gave a positive response to India despite excesses in Kashmir and violations along the LoC. The photo exhibition is aimed at highlighting Pakistan’s progress and goals.
Aziz said Pakistan will attend the Heart of Asia Conference and was always ready for talks. “We have been urging India to give up the path of violence and hold a dialogue to solve the issues,” he said.
He said the international community should play its due role to resolve Kashmir issue for durable peace in the world.
Aziz said the dossier regarding Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav was towards conclusion. “India is continuously violating the United Nations resolutions by interfering in Pakistan’s internal affairs,” he maintained.
He said the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has strongly condemned the human rights violations in Held Kashmir and offered to send its fact fining mission.
The adviser said India had been constantly obstructing access of the fact-finding mission of the United Nations Human Rights and OIC Contact Group to Held Kashmir.
He said the government of Pakistan had written letters to the UN general secretary and other world leaders about the Indian atrocities against the innocent Kashmiris and reminded them to resolve the issue in line with the UN Security Council resolutions.
Aziz said Pakistan gave importance to relations with neighbouring countries and will work for establishment of peace in the region.
The adviser also confirmed the presence of an Afghan Taliban group in Islamabad. He, however, refused to share details of the dialogue with the Taliban.
“We are working for peace and efforts are successful so far. There has been another meeting in Qatar,” he said.
To a query, he said Pakistan was facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan as member of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group.
Earlier, addressing the ceremony at Lock Virsa, he said that Pakistan had launched effective diplomatic campaign to raise the Kashmir cause in the world.
He said peace in the region will not be ensured without resolving the issue. He said the European Union had always played a positive role for Pakistan.
In her address, French ambassador Martine Dorance said France was engaged in development projects in Pakistan.
She said her country was also ready to play effective role in progress and prosperity of Pakistan in the future.
The envoy said France wanted Pakistan to grow and was interested in enhancing the bilateral ties.