Sartaj Aziz arrives in India to attend Heart of Asia Conference

The two-day conference comes against the backdrop of simmering tensions between the arch-rivals

Prime Minister's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz arrived in Amritsar on Saturday to attend the Heart of Asia Conference, Foreign Office spokesperson said.

Adviser Sartaj Aziz arrives @Amritsar 2attend Heart of Asian Conference; received by Pakistan's HC Mr. Abdul Basit pic.twitter.com/uaun56vg9J

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) December 3, 2016

The conference, taking place in Indian state of Amritsar on December 3 and 4, comes against the backdrop of simmering tensions between the nuclear-tipped arch-rivals.

On Thursday, the adviser called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to discuss the strategy for the conference. On the same day, Indian external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup categorically ruled out any possibility of talks between Indian officials and Aziz on the sidelines of the conference.

At his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan was attending the Heart of Asia Conference because it was committed to contributing towards all efforts and initiatives that were aimed at bringing peace and stability in Afghanistan.

While Islamabad is open to any constructive engagement at the sidelines of the conference with New Delhi, officials explained that Pakistan decided to go to Amritsar to convey a clear message to the outside world that it was Delhi, not Islamabad, which was creating impediments in the way of regional peace.

Initially, it was thought that Pakistan might boycott the regional grouping after India stayed away from the Saarc summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad in November.

The other reason that prompted the government to send the adviser to India was to not allow any opportunity to the Modi government to score political points against Pakistan.



The two countries have been at loggerheads since the killing of a populist rebel leader Burhan Wani by the occupied forces in occupied Kashmir on July 8.

Frequent incidents of cross-border fire have been witnessed since a heightened situation in the valley. More than 100 protesters have lost their lives to the security forces in the valley while dozens blinded by use of pellet guns.

India accuses Pakistan of being involved in an attack on an army base in Uri on September 18, in which 19 Indian soldiers were killed. Islamabad has denied the charge, which Delhi levelled without any substantial investigation or evidence.