Indian, Afghan officials in Pakistan for regional conference

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Indian and Afghan officials are expected to attend a two-day conference in Pakistan.

India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived Tuesday as the conference got underway. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani plan to jointly launch the main event, a ministerial conference, on Wednesday. Sharif was also expected to meet with Swaraj.

Envoys from over two dozen countries are attending the "heart of Asia" initiative, which was inaugurated in Istanbul in 2011 and aims to promote peace in Afghanistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have been trading accusations of supporting insurgents since Afghan peace talks brokered by Islamabad collapsed last summer. Archrivals India and Pakistan have taken steps to improve relations in recent months after tensions escalated in the disputed Kashmir region.