Premier says resolving Kashmir dispute key to ensuring peace and stability in the region. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said it is important for both Pakistan and India to resolve all their outstanding issues, including the Kashmir dispute in order to ensure peace and stability in the region.
Speaking to Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit, the premier said the country would like to have normal relations with India on basis of mutual respect and sovereign equality.
"India is an important neighbour for us," said the premier at the PM House.
The prime minister also reiterated that Pakistan wants to maintain good neighbourly relations with all countries in the region.
Basit called on PM Nawaz and briefed him on the status of Pakistan-India relations.
Just two days ago, the premier got his words across with a letter of felicitations for his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on India's 66th Republic Day.
RELATED POST: Nawaz pens letter to Modi in attempt to thaw icy relations with India
PM Nawaz expressed his desire to forge “friendly and cooperative” relations between the two neighbouring countries.
POLL
[poll id="1413"]
COMMENTS (45)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Everyone don;t dare a word against India or the liberal broad minded ET would not publish you. You can however abuse Pakistan as much as you wish ET would be glad to oblige
ET, please resolve page formatting issues in comment section !
Nawaz Sharif was born in Jaati Umrah India this is why Nawaz Sharif is trying his best and utmost to please and rejoice India no matter how many innocent and sinless people have been killed on LoC and working boundary in the unprovoked firing by the Indian troops,India is never ready to resolve Kashmir issue and other issues which are the hindrances in the way of friendship between Pakistan and India.
Does this Nawaz not understand how much he is hated by the nation now?. Seriously if I was into same situation as Nawaz I would resign, grab a pistol and blow my brains out. Please Nawaz, step down and let this country prosper instead of drooling over neighbors feet..
@hamza khan: we stepped in many times you could do nothing.
“India is an important neighbour for us,” said the premier at the PM House. That should qualify as the understatement of the year.
You still don't get Kashmir!
What is this Prime Minister doing making statements that are not important for Pakistan at this moment in time? Peace with India is certainly necessary for the very existence of Pakistan, but that is a long term issue, why is he not focusing on immediate issues like Terrorism, Target Killing, Petrol Crisis, Gas Crisis, Electricity Crisis, Food Crisis in Thar, Gas Crisis, etc.? Priorities not correct.
@Bharat Verma:
you must be joking. what has stopped you for 70 years? pusillanimity? yeah i think so. you're a coward nation led by your coward army. step across that line of control and see what happens.
Confused policy one day Mr Aziz said against India ,PM of Pakistan favor Kashmir Late PM of Pakistan said we will eat grass but will fight 1000 years , Lal topi day dreaming to won Delhi all the above statement for Pakistani people and work like opium for them on world areana they show that they are eagar to make relation with India and after 65 years passed there is not significant change in your attitude and nature of lied and back stabbing there is no need for good relation and i also support Modi policy do not pay any attention on Pakistan let them to sing Kashmir melodrama one day they will pay price and paid by their own people and very soon it will happen
@Bharat Verma: in hindsight it was good for both ind and pak.... otherwise there would have been riot and both fighting for supremacy... ind would have been known with same reputation as of paki reputation today...
Pakistan is becoming less and less relevant to the region in general and India in particular. Pakistan is fixated in the past.
This Kashmir rhetoric really winds me up .. let's sort out the country we already have first!
Yes PM is right that India z important neighbour but for his and his family business and not for Pakistan. I think PM forgot the brutal killing of our children in School as he knows who did this. PM is just trying to build ralationship with india for his own interest and not for nation interest.
Rubbish! Nawaz need to wake up and stop licking something not recommended by masses.
@ F khan The best Pakistan and India can do to help relationship is forget that the other exist on the global map for the next 10 years.Please lets put the aman ki asha attitude on the back burner for a decade.
India ready to forget Pakistan existence till the end of the world. Is Pakistan ready?.
@ravi: "Pakistan would continue to bicker about India endlessly, its time for India to let go of Pakistan and move on."
We Indians have already let go of pakistan. We come here to watch some comedy/ drama/ tragedy (typical soap opera in the entire country of theirs)
@raider: "@Bharat Verma: first improve your weaponry and then talk about Kashmir, which is occupied by India, as per international reports you are lagging so behind in this field at least"
try your luck since our weaponry is not good. come on! 71 seems to be too distant for you and you need a refresher it seems
Shooting himself in the foot....AGAIN.
This is the happiest moment for Nawaz in his life when his dream of betterment of normal citizenry on both sides of the border can be realized. Well done NS, don't waste time and opportunity.
@Rahul cc@F Khan Pakistan’s NATURAL ORIENTATION is towards Iran, Afghanistan, GCC, Central Asian; This is not physics Sir, when you reckon that trees even grow in the sky as soon as they are planted?? Before you venture into new frontiers with the religion label, you must also accept that most if not all muslim population of India and Pakistan had hindu ancestors and therefore are closer to Hndu culture versus the one in Northern territories. Pakistan marauding army is currently engaged in its military campaigns across its frontiers into the tribal region which is populated by tribesmen from various ethnic backgrounds who do not speak or understand urdu or Pujabi language, thereby being considered as foreigners.. The use of force in the 21st centure is a crime against humanity and can never be justified and as long as this is not accepted by some, there will be neither peace nor progress for Napoleanic ideals.
Rex Minor
Alas the strategic alliance between pakistan and india would be ever a distant dream. India would benefit by developing the strategic partnership already in place with China, US, Japan and Russia. China wishing to develop an entire industrial city in India, Civil nuclear power stations & develop high speed rail network in india, shows the developing rapport between india and china.
Pakistan would continue to bicker about India endlessly, its time for India to let go of Pakistan and move on.
@mimi sur: our pm is saying, not our nation, you dont carry any charm for us, he is rigged pm
Pakistan gives importance to india. This can be a statement of symbolism without substance. since there is no peace on the border.
India seems to have taken for granted that pakistan behaviour will never change.
The strategic alliance between India and china have more chances to bloom, since both India and china now focus on economic development and trade after the scenario of change of government priorities since 2014 and the recent changes in the world. Since the visit of Chinese premiere to India, China has been more assertive towards india.
@Bharat Verma: first improve your weaponry and then talk about Kashmir, which is occupied by India, as per international reports you are lagging so behind in this field at least
@Gp65: You appear to be as much obsessed with Kashmir and Sharif as Sharif is with India and Kashmir. It is the responsibility of the International community to be concerned with the peoples of the world and not their Governments. The Sharifs are old models and together with their cronies are in transition until some one elses grab the leadership, but the chaiwala is just a hope for the Indian people who not only got used to a very poor life style but suffer from lack of basic education as well..
Rex Minor
I have written the same comment in Hindustan Times: Sartaj Aziz is a man from the past. These kind of senile men are not only keeping their people in poverty but denying them the opportunities that stand at their door steps. This kind of behavior is called Radical Skepticism: everything is wrong. It may sometimes resemble the behaviors of a brat who knows only one word and keeps in repeating it: No, No, No, No!
our pm don’t tend to come out of his business and family scenario, plz Indian took pity on him, he cannot help lunching things like all this, political class at least need education on international affairs and strategic study
Action Points 1. Put down terrorism of all kinds. Enhance trade between both countries 2. Keep all issues aside, behave normally. Kashmir can wait 3. Build confidence and credibility 4. Ask Naysayers to shut their mouths
Nawaz knows what is the truth about Kashmir and LOC. All those who object to Nawaz's recent statements do not know that they have been led up the garden path. The two Sharifs will soon come together in the near future.
@Bharat Verma: thats your view. India doesn't want any of their territories add more population or fanatics. No thank you. We are very happy with our own. Only pok disputed territory on that we can agree over it. @afshan kamal you seriously think your foriegn office is run by civilian govt? He's speakimg what The actual power holder is making him do. Who exactly is going doing different country for foriegn visit it's not your civilian govt representives recent China trip shows that. And yeah after Kargil,mumbai incident(where UN,USa,Russia,Australia,Europe etc banned it) Osama fiasco. Yes I agree it's we who is voilating ceasefire and the other is is innocent just like Obl.
iam an indian, i really see this move as a desperate measure from pakistan PM, dear pak PM please do not do this, people in pakistan would definitely lose faith in democracy in this manner and it will pave ways for its security establishment, this will take situation in your country further by 20 years...This is the time to wait, green shoots will blossom sooner than later.
@F Khan,
Perfect and eloquently put. It is best that we both pursue and nurture relationships with countries with whom we are close at various levels like Religion, Ethnicity, ..., with the most important being the CIVILIZATION and MINDSET narrative. With this baseline being set, Pakistan's NATURAL ORIENTATION is towards Iran, Afghanistan, GCC, Central Asian Republics. India's NATURAL ORIENTATION is towards the the East: Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, China, Japan, Sri Lanka, etc... Going against one's natural tendencies only causes imbalance, instability and a permanent state of restlessness. This is a TRUISM from a Physical perspective [Physics states that a SYSTEM always tries to reach a state of Natural Equilibrium]
Aligning ourselves with our natural tendencies is the only way to ensure peace and prosperity , and Natural Equilibrium for all in the subcontinent. AMEN.
I think the above would be more appropriate headline.
regards,
Pakistan is not an important neighbour for India.- an Indian.
Statement comes at an ill fated time specially after US President's visit and the violations in Sialkot sector. Considering these factors, wish somebody in foreign office would have apprised him of the situation. PM could have simply congratulated, instead of emphasizing the importance of good neighbour (with LOC violations occurring every day). Oh! our naive PM.
Does the PM talk to his own NSA? Very inconsistent statements coming from both.
In November, when Nawaz had gone to PoK, he said he would not leave Hurriyat out of the dialog. India has made it clear that it will not talk on those terms. The firing on LOC has also not stopped. So when Nawaz can rewch an agreement with Raheel that they will stop firing on LOC and are willing to talk to India and not Hurriyat, India will talk. Until then there is plenty of work to be done on Indian side for development of India. No need to spend time and energy on pointless photo-ops with Pakistan.
If this comments section is moderated then i wonder how this moderator is allowing comments made by Bharat Verma!
"it was carved out of erstwhile India in 1947 due to bad vision of few greedy men."
Seriously, is this what you guys are propagating here? if you want to moderate, then make it neutral or leave it like times of India and see the common man bashing!
The best Pakistan and India can do to help relationship is forget that the other exist on the global map for the next 10 years.Please lets put the aman ki asha attitude on the back burner for a decade.
I think Pakistan shall adhere to stark reality that it was carved out of erstwhile India in 1947 due to bad vision of few greedy men.
India has accepted Pakistan as a State and the Islamic Republic shall not jump to conclusions on any internal or bilateral being entertained by India.
As regards to Jammu & Kashmir, 40 % of Indian territory is under the illegal occupation of Pakistan and India will take back its land 'as and when' it feels the right time has approached.
What is this Prime Minister doing making statements that are not important for Pakistan at this moment in time? Peace with India is certainly necessary for the very existence of Pakistan, but that is a long term issue, why is he not focusing on immediate issues like Terrorism, Target Killing, Petrol Crisis, Gas Crisis, Electricity Crisis, Food Crisis in Thar, Gas Crisis, etc.? Priorities not correct.
Yes India is an important neighbor but not a bad, treacherous and back-stabbing neighbor