Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says his country wants “peaceful and cooperative ties” with India. The statements fuel hopes that tense diplomatic relations between the two neighboring nuclear powers will have a chance to thaw.
“Pakistan demands peaceful and cooperative ties with India. A peaceful solution to open conflicts, including Jammu and Kashmir, is indispensable. The sacrifices Pakistan is making in the fight against terror are well known,” Sharif said in a thank you after receiving congratulations from his Indian counterpart. “Let’s bring peace and focus on socio-economic development.”
On Monday, Sharif was elected the new Prime Minister of Pakistan. Imran Khan had previously been sidelined after losing a confidence vote. In his maiden speech, Sharif had mainly cited the foreign policy failures of the previous government and stated that Islamabad wants good relations with New Delhi.
Three wars
Those statements were not without consequence. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately sent congratulations across the border, stressing that “India wants peace and stability in a region without terror.” Sharif’s older brother, who was Prime Minister three times, also tried to strengthen ties with India at the time. In 2014, then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif traveled to New Delhi for Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars with each other. The Kashmir border region was the focus of the conflict on two occasions. Tensions ran high when India stripped Kashmir of its special autonomous status in August 2019, much to the dismay of Pakistani neighbours.
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