LAHORE: Advocating improved relations with the neighbouring nation, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif expressed hope to satisfy Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in “not-so-distant future”.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president made these remarks throughout an interview with Indian journalist Barkha Dutt forward of the extremely anticipated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, which Indian International Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is scheduled to attend.
“I’ve all the time been a supporter of excellent relations with India,” Nawaz mentioned, expressing hope that there was a possibility to revive the connection.
“It will have been an amazing factor if PM [Narendra] Modi had additionally attended the SCO summit. I do hope that he and us can have a possibility to take a seat collectively within the not-so-distant future,” the previous premier mentioned.
Relations between the 2 international locations have gone by means of durations of thaw infrequently however have been largely frozen since Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties in 2019 following abrogation of Article 370 — revoking particular standing of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Islamabad has linked its choice to normalising ties with New Delhi with the restoration of the particular standing of the IIOJK.
Regardless of the frosty ties, the 2 international locations agreed to resume the 2003 ceasefire settlement alongside the Line of Management (LoC) in February 2021.
Earlier in 2023, Nawaz burdened the necessity to enhance relations with neighbours together with India and Afghanistan, noting that in his tenures two Indian premiers — Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1999 and Narendra Modi in 2015 — had visited Pakistan.
The PML-N president had additionally congratulated Modi on his re-election because the Indian prime minister for the report third time.
“Your get together’s success in latest elections displays the arrogance of the folks in your management,” he wrote on X.
“Allow us to exchange hate with hope and seize the chance to form the future of the 2 billion folks of South Asia,” he had added.
Modi responded to the message in form, saying: “Recognize your message Nawaz Sharif. The folks of India have all the time stood for peace, safety and progressive concepts. Advancing the well-being and safety of our folks shall all the time stay our precedence.”