Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif hoped that the SCO summit hosted by Islamabad this week might lead to an enchancment in ties between India and Pakistan.
He made the assertion in a gathering with a delegation of Indian journalists who got here to Pakistan for the protection of just lately concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) moot attended by overseas leaders from 10 nations.
The assembly was additionally attended by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb.
Stressing the necessity to revive cricket diplomacy between the South Asian nations, Nawaz mentioned that the Indian cricket workforce ought to go to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“In case you ask the Indian cricket workforce, they might additionally recommend taking part in in Pakistan. Regardless of they’re able to play, nevertheless, those that have energy to permit them do not grant them permission,” he instructed the journalists.
He mentioned it could have been higher had Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the SCO convention in Pakistan, nevertheless, the arrival of the neighbouring nation’s overseas minister was additionally signal.
Jaishankar, who attended the SCO moot held in Islamabad, was the primary overseas minister of the neighbouring nation to go to Pakistan in practically a decade.
Whereas departing from Islamabad after the regional occasion, Jaishankar thanked PM Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and the federal government for the “hospitality and courtesies”.
In his interplay with the journalists, the three-time former prime minister mentioned though the 2 nations had a bitter previous, there’s have to look ahead and discuss concerning the future.
Shedding mild on mutual points which may very well be factors of collaboration, the PML-N president mentioned that Islamabad and New Delhi wanted to right away work on local weather change and bilateral commerce.
Pointing in direction of suspended commerce ties between the neighbours for years, Nawaz instructed the overseas journalists that the price of totally different Indian commodities and greens has elevated in Pakistan because the merchandise arrived in Pakistan by way of Dubai.
“Improved Pakistan-India relations would enable transportation of important commodities to Pakistan inside two hours,” he added.
Previous to this assembly, Nawaz was additionally interviewed by famend Indian journalist Barkha Dutt earlier this week earlier than the graduation of the highly-anticipated SCO convention.
Within the interview, the previous prime minister had expressed optimism about assembly Indian premier Modi within the close to future as he advocated improved relations with the neighbouring nation.
“I’ve at all times been a supporter of excellent relations with India,” Nawaz mentioned, expressing hope that there was a chance to revive the connection.
“It could have been an ideal factor if PM [Narendra] Modi had additionally attended the SCO summit. I do hope that he and us can have a chance to sit down collectively within the not-so-distant future,” the previous premier mentioned.
Relations between the 2 nations have gone by means of intervals 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 nations agreed to resume the 2003 ceasefire settlement alongside the Line of Management (LoC) in February 2021.