ISLAMABAD: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today called for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan joining hands to promote regional trade and prosperity. Addressing the Heart of Asia conference here, Ms Swaraj said it was high time that India and Pakistan showed maturity and worked together.
She also said there should be united fight against terror and terror hubs should not be allowed anywhere. She said Afghanistan was in need of international support. Ms Swaraj is all set to hold talks with her counterpart Sartaj Aziz and meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif later in the day. Ms Swaraj, who arrived in Islamabad last evening on a two-day visit to Pakistan, said her discussions with the Pakistani leadership would be focused on how the bilateral relations could be improved.
“I will meet Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and my counterpart Sartaj Aziz. We will discuss how to improve and take forward the relations between the two countries,” she had said soon after landing in Islamabad. Ms Swaraj, whose visit is taking place amidst high hopes of revival of the peace process between the two estranged neighbours, said she had come with a message of hope for normalisation of ties between the two countries.
The External Affairs Minister last night attended the banquet hosted for Heart of Asia delegates by Mr Aziz, who responding to Ms Swaraj’s arrival statement, said his expectations were also good and positive. ”My message is also that we should take our engagement forward and improve ties,” he said.
Though the visit is for a multilateral event, it is her bilateral meetings that are of significance. This will be third high-level engagement between the two countries in the last 10 days. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif met in Paris, and then the NSAs of the two countries held talks in Bangkok, which is now being followed by Ms Swaraj?s visit to Pakistan. Her visit is taking place with the top leadership showing clear intent to resume the stalled peace process.(AGENCIES)
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