Simplistic to blame one nation: Pak’s Aziz
HEART OF ASIA MEET However, says arrangements made for his stay were ‘strange’, delegation not allowed visitors
ISLAMABAD/AMRITSAR: Senior Pakistani official Sartaj Aziz on Sunday denied news reports that he was mistreated during the Heart of Asia conference in Amritsar, and said his country’s participation “was welcomed by every quarter”.
However, Aziz — the Pakistan prime minister’s foreign affairs adviser — said his India visit was never expected to bring about a breakthrough. “It’s not possible to speak on a bilateral issue at a multilateral conference,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Aziz had told participants at the conference that it was wrong to accuse Pakistan of promoting terrorism.
Aziz claimed all his interactions in India were pleasant but “not substantive”. “They were generally pleasant, friendly, but not structured,” he said.
My participation in the event, despite the escalation of violence along the line of control and the working boundary with India, bears testimony to Pakistan’s commitment for lasting peace... SARTAJ AZIZ, Pakistan Prime Minister’s foreign affairs adviser
ISLAMABAD/ AMRITSAR: Senior Pakistan official Sartaj Aziz on Sunday denied news reports that he was mistreated during the Heart of Asia conference in Amritsar, and said his country’s participation “was welcomed by every quarter”.
However, Aziz – the Pakistan prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor – said his India visit was never expected to bring about a breakthrough. “It’s not possible to speak on a bilateral issue at a multilateral conference,” he said.
The official claimed all his interactions in India were pleasant but “not substantive”. “They were generally pleasant, friendly, but not structured,” he said.
Downplaying reports of a souring relationship between Kabul and Islamabad, he said Afghanistan and Pakistan were like “congenital twins” that cannot be divided by India.
Aziz, however, termed the arrangements made for his stay in India as “strange”. He said the Pakistani delegation was housed in a separate hotel, and they were denied visits by guests.
Earlier that day, Aziz had told participants of the sixth Heart of Asia conference that it was wrong to accuse Pakistan of promoting terrorism when it was committed to regional cooperation. “My participation in the event, despite the escalation of violence along the line of control and the working boundary with India, bears testimony to Pakistan’s unflinching commitment for lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region,” he said.
Aziz called the postponed SAARC meet a setback that undermined the spirit of regional cooperation. “One must remember that this forum helps improve relations as well,” he said.
The SAARC summit, meant to be hosted by Pakistan in November, was postponed after several member-nations claimed that the Uri attack – where 19 Indian soldiers were killed – had created an inhospitable atmosphere for talks. Military skirmishes along the line of control in Jammu and Kashmir have increased since the Uri ambush.
Before Aziz spoke on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Afghan president Ashraf Ghani had accused Pakistan of supporting and financing terrorist forces at the regional initiative to promote peace efforts in Afghanistan. However, the Pakistan official denied the allegations. “The security situation in Afghanistan is very complex. It is simplistic to blame only one country for the recent upsurge in violence. We need to have an objective and a holistic view,” said Aziz.