Sartaj Aziz arrives in India to attend Heart of Asia conference

AMRITSAR: Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz arrived in India on Saturday to attend Heart of Asia conference, ARY News reported.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to New Delhi Abdul Basit welcomed him in Amritsar to participate in the conference aimed at expanding practical coordination between Afghanistan and its neighbours and regional partners in facing common threats, including counterterrorism, counternarcotics, poverty, and extremism.

Announcing Aziz’s arrival, Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria also added that the adviser sent a bouquet to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at her residence.

Adviser Sartaj Aziz sent a bouquet 2 EAM Sushma Swaraj at her residence, extending his sincere good wishes for her full and speedy recovery.

— M. Nafees Zakaria (@ForeignOfficePk) December 3, 2016

Zakaria had earlier confirmed that Pakistan will attend the two-day conference in Amritsar on December 3-4.

“Pakistan will attend the conference in India for the sake of peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said adding every country has its own role to play for stabilizing Afghanistan.

The Senior Officials Meeting of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process is being held today which will discuss and finalize the text for the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process.

The meeting will also cover all the necessary technical aspects of the declaration for the 6th Ministerial Conference.

This conference will endorse the 6th Ministerial Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process Declaration and provide a new direction for the year 2017.

Back in December 2015, Pakistan hosted the Heart of Asia Senior Officials Meeting in Islamabad.