Ashraf Ghani's statement deserves condemnation: Sartaj Aziz

ISLAMABAD: After arriving in the federal capital, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz held an emergency press conference in which he condemned Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's statement against Pakistan, on Sunday. 

Addressing a press conference after coming back to Islamabad from Amritsar, Sartaj Aziz said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's statement against Pakistan deserved condemnation. 

"Placing blame and making allegations against any country does not eliminate terrorism," said Sartaj Aziz. 

He said that during his meeting with the Afghan President, he had assured him of Pakistan's full cooperation and tried to highlight the importance of ensuring the functioning of an effective monitoring system at the border. 

"Despite effective border management, peace cannot prevail among both countries," said Aziz. 

Sartaj said that it was a good decision to attend the Heart of Asia conference despite the ongoing tensions with arch-rivals India. 

"Everyone whom I met at the Heart of Asia conference appreciated us attending the conference despite the situation across the Line of Control," he said. 

Sartaj Aziz said that security arrangements in India were quite strange since they were not allowed to meet or speak with anyone. 

"The Indian security officer would not allow us to meet anyone at the hotel," he said. 

Aziz said that Pakistan was also a victim of terrorism hence it would not allow any miscreants or terrorists to conduct nefarious activities from its soil. He said that the Indian representatives tried not to have the issue of Kashmir discussed at the conference.