India always tried for ‘hegemony’ in South Asia, says Sartaj Aziz

India always tried to maintain its “hegemony” in the South Asia region and Pakistan has rejected this while “effectively” protecting its interests, Prime Minister’s advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz has claimed.

Answering a question about Indo-Pak ties in an interview to Samaa TV, Mr Aziz said India has always tried to maintain its hegemony in the South Asia region.

“Pakistan rejected this (Indian) hegemony and has effectively protected its interests and its stance over Kashmir, nuclear deterrence and conventional balance,” Mr Aziz was quoted as saying.

He maintained that “protecting Pakistan’s sovereignty and vital interests is a great achievement as a nation”.

Talking about the Afghan refugees problem, he said it became a security issue for Pakistan as refugee camps have become “safe havens for terrorists” due to unregulated movement.

“We have reestablished our writ over Fata (tribal areas) but if Afghan border remains unregulated, our tribal areas can’t stay safe,” he said.

Calling for repatriation of Afghan refugees, Mr Aziz said the repatriation will be a gradual movement and Pakistan will need a plan of action for the process.

He said Pakistan is paying for the policies it adopted during the Russian invasion of Afghanistan which resulted in five million refugees coming to Pakistan with “drugs, guns bringing instability”.

Mr Aziz claimed that when the current government came to power, it decided to pursue the policy of non-interference which means Pakistan will not fight someone else’s wars.

Speaking in the National Assembly, Mr Aziz said that some people declared Pri-me Minister Modi’s visit to Islamic countries a failure of Pakistan’s foreign policy.

“Pakistan is working upon its policy of non-interference in the affairs of other states. The impression was given that our (Pakistan’s) relations with Muslim counties have deteriorated after Modi paid visit to two such countries,” he said;

“We have historic and religious relations with Muslim countries,” he added.

The advisor to the Prime Minister on foreign affairs said that war on terror will be incomplete without border management with Afghanistan.