Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his desire to normalize relations with India, emphasizing the importance of resolving all issues, including Kashmir, through dialogue.
Addressing a special session of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad, on the occasion of the “Kashmir Solidarity Day,” Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Kashmiri people.
“We want all issues, including Kashmir, to be resolved through talks. India should come out of the thinking of August 5, 2019, and fulfill promises made to the UN and launch a dialogue,” Sharif said. He was referring to the Indian government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and bifurcated the region into two Union Territories.
Sharif emphasized that the path to peace and cooperation between Pakistan and India lies in dialogue, a sentiment echoed in the 1999 Lahore Declaration, which was signed when then-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Pakistan.
While Pakistan seeks dialogue, India has firmly maintained its stance, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of India. India has repeatedly stated that peaceful relations with Pakistan are only possible in an environment free from terror, hostility, and violence.
Sharif also accused India of ramping up its military arsenal, stating that such actions would not lead to peace or improve the situation in the region. “Accumulating weapons will not change the fate of the people of this region,” he added, urging India to adopt a more peaceful approach. “The way to progress is through peace,” Sharif concluded.
