BAKU: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday repeated Pakistan’s call for dialogue with India to ensure lasting peace in the region and said they have to sit on the table and address urgent challenges, including Kashmir, water and terrorism.
“We have to sit together and speak for the sake of peace … There are questions that require immediate attention and need to be treated through dialogue,” said the prime minister as he approached Pakistan-Turkiye-Azerbaijan Trilateral Summit with Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev.
The meeting is coming as the prime minister continued his first tour to express his gratitude for supporting Pakistan during the recent conflict against India.
Previously, the prime minister finished his two-day bilateral visit to Iran and traveled to Azerbaijan. After his visit to Turkiye, Iran and Azerbaijan, he will continue to Tadsjikistan.
He approached the summit and emphasized Pakistan’s continued attitude towards regional peace and said, “We wanted peace yesterday, we want peace today, and we will continue to wish peace in the future.”
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan is looking for a decision on the Kashmir issue in accordance with the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decisions and Kashmiri people’s hopes. He added that Pakistan is also open to conversations with India about terrorism if New Delhi demonstrates seriousness.
The Prime Minister referred to the recent aggression of India and said that with Allah Almighty’s endless blessings and kindness with the support of the people of Pakistan and friendly countries and a resolute reaction from the armed forces, they emerged victorious.
He noted that India unfortunately tried to weapon the Indus Waters Treaty, which was a lifeline for the 240 million population in Pakistan who used the water for agriculture, drink and other purposes.
“It is most unfortunate that India tried to threaten to stop the flow of water in Pakistan. This is not possible, this is never possible and will not be possible. We arrange proper events to make sure India never ever does,” he maintained emphatically.
“We are the biggest victim of terrorism across the globe and lost 90,000 valuable lives and suffered $ 150 billion worth of financial losses in the last several decades. There can be no greater manifestation of our commitment and intention to strike this threat to the coming times,” he added.
If India showed serious and honest cooperation, he said Pakistan would be willing to discuss all questions, including promotion of India trading, on the negotiating table.
The Prime Minister also appreciated the role of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, as he said, led Pakistan’s armed forces to fight with great bravery and the highest level of professional sharpness while the whole nation was behind them.
The premiere said that during the conflict with India, he found the field Marshal as ‘God -fearing, fearless, firm with iron resolution, patience and strength to meet this aggression.’
He reiterated that India, during the recent conflict, failed to induce any credible evidence against Pakistan and rejected their sincere offer of a neutral and transparent study of so-called Pahalagam event of any international body.
This is an evolving story and is updated with further details
