Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for a “critical and honest talk” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on “burning points like Kashmir” in an interview with Dubai-based Arabic news television channel Al Arabiya. He noted that previous wars with India have only caused “extra distress, poverty, and unemployment” and that both countries have nuclear weapons, making a war all the more destructive.
Sharif’s comments come at a time when Pakistan has been hit hard with increased terror related incidents, a rock-bottom economy and deepening political instability, including foreign direct investment inflows registering a decline of more than 50 per cent for the July-November 2022 period as compared to the same period in 2021. In addition, the country is going through a political instability with ousted prime minister Imran Khan saying President Dr Arif Alvi will soon ask Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to obtain a vote of confidence.
Sharif has urged the Indian management and PM Modi to allow both countries to “sit down at the table and have critical and honest talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir.” He believes it is up to both countries to make the decision to stay peacefully and make progress together or quarrel and waste time and resources.
The Pakistani Prime Minister’s comments come with the country witnessing a rise in terror-related violence after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended ceasefire with security forces in late November. It is hoped that the Prime Minister’s call for a “critical and honest talk” with India will help bring about a peaceful resolution to their issues.
