Prime Minister Sharif expressed willingness to negotiate with India; suggested the UAE play a role in resolving the differences.
Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for talks with India to discuss “hot issues like Kashmir”, and asked the United Arab Emirates to play a role in resolving differences between the two neighbors. neighbor.
Calling the UAE a “brother country” during a visit there last week, Sharif, in an interview with Al Arabiya that aired on Tuesday, said: “I will promise that we will talk to India sincerely, but it takes two to tango.”
“My message to the leader of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is let us sit down at the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning issues like Kashmir,” he said. Sharif said.
The Himalayan territory of Kashmir has been a flashpoint between the two countries since they gained independence from British rule in 1947. Since then, the two nuclear-armed neighbors have happened three times. wars, two of which are over Kashmir, which both sides claim. but control parts of it.
“We are neighbors. Let us be very frank. Even if we are not neighbors of choice, we will be there forever, and living in peace is up to us. We have learned our lesson. We have been through three wars with India and the consequences of those wars have only brought more suffering, unemployment and poverty,” he said.
Four years ago, India’s Hindu nationalist government, headed by Prime Minister Modi, Revoke Article 370 of the Indian Constitutiongranted partial autonomy to Indian-administered Kashmir.
This decision led to a strong anti-India wave in the region and led to a wave of protests from a large part of the population, followed by an uprising. harsh repression by the government.
India accuses Pakistan of continuing to support armed rebels in the valley, a charge Pakistan staunchly denies, saying it only provides diplomatic support for Kashmir’s struggle for self-determination.
Sharif called the Indian state’s actions in Kashmir “blatant human rights violations that go on day after day” and said both countries must think about their futures.
“This has to stop, so [the] The message could go around the world that India is ready to negotiate and we are very open to dialogue. We want to turn our resources into tools for prosperity… that’s the message I want to send to Mr. Modi,” he said.
“We are both nuclear powers. God, if war broke out, who would live to tell what happened? This is not an option.”
In a statement later issued by Sharif’s office, it was clarified that the prime minister had consistently asserted that negotiations with India could only take place after the revocation of Article 370 was reversed. .
In the introduction Before the interview of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with Al Arabiya, the spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office said that the Prime Minister always affirmed that Pakistan and India must solve bilateral issues, especially the core issue. core of Jammu & Kashmir, through dialogue and peaceful means. 1/3
– Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) January 17, 2023
“The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that negotiations can only take place after India reverses its illegal actions on 5 August 2019; Without India’s withdrawal on this step, negotiations would not have been possible. The settlement of the Kashmir dispute must be in accordance with United Nations resolutions and the aspirations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir,” the statement read.
