Sushma's visit to help strengthen Pak-India's desire to establish peace: Fatemi

Dunya News

The Indian High Commissioner held a farewell meeting with Tariq Fatemi in Islamabad.

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk)- The High Commissioner of India, Dr. T. C. A. Raghavan, made a farewell call on the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs (SAPM), Syed Tariq Fatemi today (Thursday), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Special Assistant appreciated the services of Dr. T.C.A. Raghavan for his efforts to improve relations between Pakistan and India, during his tenure as the High Commissioner of India, and expressed the hope that the incoming Indian High Commissioner would also continue to promote cordial ties between the two countries.

He also wished Raghavan all the best in his future endeavours.

Stressing that Pakistan attached great importance to establishing good neighourly relations with India, the advisor underscored that the Indian Foreign Minister s presence in the "Heart of Asia: Istanbul Process" was a welcome gesture.

“It would help strengthen the common desire of the two countries to establish peace and stability in the region,” he added.


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On Monday, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj briefed the Parliament in New Delhi that India and Pakistan will engage in a comprehensive dialogue on all issues including peace, security and Kashmir.

She said that it has always been the Indian government‘s effort to maintain relations with the neighbouring countries, including Pakistan.

The Indian Foreign Minister had arrived in Islamabad on December 08, 2015 on a two-day official visit to participate in the fifth Heart of Asia Conference which was attended by high-ranking delegations from 14 participating states, 17 supporting countries and 12 International and regional organizations.

The Heart of Asia - Istanbul Process was established in 2011 at the initiative of Afghanistan and Turkey. The main objective of the Process is to foster efforts for regional cooperation and connectivity with a view to promoting long-term peace and stability as well as progress and development in Afghanistan, and the region.

During her visit, Swaraj also met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia summit. After their talks, the two sides came out with a joint statement on resumption of talks, capping a series of positive developments since Narendra Modi‘s meeting with Nawaz Sharif in Paris.

Three days before the joint statement, the national security advisers of both countries met in Bangkok to resume the process which had been called off in August amid an exchange of harsh rhetori