No Nawaz-Modi meeting scheduled on sidelines of UN General Assembly: Aziz

Officials says at the moment there is no back channel diplomacy going on with India.

ISLAMABAD: Advisor to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz on Wednesday told a Senate panel that no meeting was scheduled between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on the sidelines of UN General Assembly meeting later in September.

Speaking at the meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Aziz cast a shadow over bilateral ties between Pakistan and India.

Briefing participants of the meeting about Indo-Pak relations, including situation at Line of Control (LoC), Foreign Office officials clearly stated that at the moment, there is no back channel diplomacy with India.

The senators were also told that despite Pakistan remains committed to a meaningful dialogue process despite cancellation of foreign secretary level talks by India.

In connection with the prevailing flood conditions in the country, provisions of Indus water treaty were  also discussed.

Commenting on Pakistan-Afghan relations, Aziz said that both sides need to agree that neither will let its territories be used against the other.

On the issue of official and diplomatic passports with United Arab Emirates (UAE), the advisor said that he had held a meeting on the said issue and the problem will be resolved soon. He further said that a draft agreement was in process regarding shifting of prisoners in Pakistani and Saudi Arabian jails.

The meeting was chaired by Senator Haji Muhammad Adeel, while it was attended by Leader of the house in the Senate senator Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Leader of the opposition in the Senate Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, Senator Farhatullah Babar, Senator Sehar Kamran, Senator Dr Muhammad Jahangir Bader, Senator Col (Retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, Senator Syed Muzafar Hussain Shah, Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and Senator Baz Muhammad Khan.