Pakistan top security adviser to attend Heart of Asia conference

The Ministerial Conference will be co-chaired by the foreign ministers of China and Afghanistan. The Ministerial Conference will be preceded by a Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) on Oct. 30. The Foreign Ministry said that Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, will be leading the Pakistan delegation at the Fourth Ministerial Conference. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry will lead the Pakistan delegation at the SOM, Xinhua reports. The Heart of Asia/Istanbul Process -- comprising 14 member countries and supported by 16 countries and 12 regional and international organizations -- is part of international efforts to help the process of Afghanistan's stabilization through regional cooperation. The process focuses on political consultations and confidence- building measures (CBMs) in six areas. Pakistan is the co-lead on Disaster Management-CBM, along with Kazakhstan. "The Adviser's participation in the Ministerial Conference underlines the importance Pakistan attaches to the Heart of Asia/ Istanbul Process," a Foreign Ministry statement said. Pakistan has been constructively engaged with the Process since its inception in 2011, as part of its efforts to support peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region and to enhance regional cooperation, it said.