ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested that his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, engage serious and earnest negotiations in order to address the pressing issues between Islamabad and New Delhi, especially the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu Kashmir (IIOJK).
In an interview with the Al Arabiya news station, the prime minister said: “Let us sit down at the table and have genuine and sincere talks to settle our burning concerns, like Kashmir. That is my message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
In accordance with Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, which grants the people of Kashmir some measure of autonomy, PM Shehbaz claimed that egregious human rights violations occur in the IIOJK every day.
The independence was taken away in August 2019.
The prime minister added that minorities in India were being victimised. “This must end so that word can spread throughout the world that India is prepared for dialogue,”
According to PM Shehbaz, Pakistan and India are neighbours and must coexist.
“It is up to us whether we coexist quietly and advance or fight and squander time and money. Our three wars with India have only increased the suffering, destitution, and unemployment among the populace. We’ve learned our lesson, and as long as we can solve our actual issues, we want to live in peace.
“That is the message I want to convey Prime Minister Modi,” he continued. “We want to reduce poverty, establish wealth, provide education and health facilities and employment to our people and not squander our money on bombs and ammunition.
The prime minister noted that both nations are nuclear superpowers and heavily armed. Who will survive to relate what happened if a conflict breaks out, he prayed.
He asserted that the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could play a significant role in bringing Pakistan and India together and promised to have sincere talks with the Indian leadership.
He claimed that Saudi Arabia was a kind and fraternal nation where they had long-standing, exceptional brotherly relations.
Before Pakistan came into being and carved out of India, millions of Muslims had brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and they were visiting Makkah and Madina, he recalled.
UAE second home for Pakistanis
The prime minister claimed that the United Arab Emirates was a second home for millions of Pakistanis during his official visit there.
He claimed that the president of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, was a devoted brother and a staunch friend of Pakistan, wanting the country’s people to advance and succeed.
The leadership of Pakistan and the Gulf nations have decided to work together in the areas of trade and culture, promote Islam as a religion of peace, and abhor all forms of terrorism. As strategic partners, we are cooperating.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s woes and difficulties would not have decreased without the tangible and substantial support of the brotherly Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia, who were reliable and trustworthy partners.
He said the Pakistani nation was resilient and brave, and it would stand on its own feet by promoting trade and investment.
To a question, he said the survival of the world lay in co-existence and what was happening in eastern Europe had devastated the world and commodity prices had skyrocketed.
PTI rejects premier’s offer for talks
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry expressed shock at PM Shehbaz’s statement, saying that the party “strongly rejects” the premier’s approach to hold talks with the Indian prime minister.
Chaudhry said that the prime minister “cannot be allowed to sell Kashmir”. He stressed that the Modi leadership reserve the constitutional position of Kashmir to its original.
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