Pak-India foreign secretaries to meet on Jan 14 or 15: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD: Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz has said that as per decision of the two prime ministers, Foreign Secretaries of Pakistan and India would meet either on January 14 or 15 to prepare a schedule for the ‘Comprehensive Dialogue’.

According to Radio Pakistan, he was briefing the Senate members on the surprise visit of the Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to Pakistan on December 25.

The Adviser said the Foreign Secretaries would draw up a map for the next six months for talks on ten identified subjects.

He said the dialogue process is challenging as it involves difficult decision and important issues.

Sartaj Aziz said the Prime Ministers of two countries have met five times and the warmth of relations created by Lahore meeting would hopefully have an impact on the formal dialogue.

He, however, cautioned against unrealistic expectations from the dialogue process and said there would be progress on some issues soon while it will take time for progress on others.

Sartaj Aziz said the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a goodwill visit and it has been welcomed by majority of people in Pakistan and India as well as the international community.

The Adviser dispelled the impression that the entourage of the Indian Prime Minister visited Lahore without any visa.

Responding to a point raised by leader of the opposition Aitzaz Ahsan, the Adviser said no secret meeting was held between the Prime Ministers of Pakistan and India at Kathmandu.

Earlier, Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan while replying to a question, said land ports are to be set up on Pak-Afghan border at Chaman and Torkham to regulate flow of goods and people.

He said a Land Port Authority Bill would be introduced in the parliament soon for the purpose.

Chairman Raza Rabbani asked Minister for Defence to make a statement on the recent visit of the Army Chief to Kabul on Thursday.