Islamabad: India-Pakistan relations have “greatly improved” and backdoor diplomacy is helping bring the two sides closer, Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, has said.
Besides confidence-building measures, a “backdoor diplomacy channel was working to bring both the neighbours closer”, Aziz was quoted as saying by The News daily.
He further said there was no “more deterioration in relations and things had greatly improved”. Aziz made the remarks during a debate in the Senate or upper house of parliament yesterday.
His remarks came against the backdrop of a downturn in ties over ceasefire violations and fierce exchanges of fire along the Line of Control.
Referring to proposed talks with the Taliban, he said the government was pursuing the option of dialogue as a top priority. If it failed, there were other options that would be exercised as a last resort, he added.
For the first time, the civilian and military leadership tried to forge consensus by taking all stakeholders on board, Aziz said.
Speaking on foreign policy issues, he said the perception of Afghanistan as a zone of strategic depth for Pakistan was “totally outdated and needed no attention”.
