Asks Modi to hold talks and resolve Kashmir issue
ISLAMABAD
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan has lasting, friendly and brotherly relations with Gulf countries particularly United Arab Emirates (UAE) and we look forward to transform these relations into strategic partnership.
In an interview with the Al Arabiya TV channel, he said UAE is the second home for millions of Pakistanis and Pakistan is grateful to the leadership of UAE for this gesture. About his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates, the Prime Minister said it was one of the most successful trips.
“We have relations with UAE and other Gulf countries, based on mutual trust, respect, culture and on the basis of these relations, Pakistan and leadership of Gulf countries should have the resolve to cooperate with each other within the framework of trade, investment, culture and promote Islam as a religion of peace and tranquility that shuns all kinds of terrorism and extremism,” he said.
PM Shehbaz said that UAE was a second home for millions of Pakistanis and as prime minister he had undertaken a successful visit to the country. He said Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed was an affectionate brother and great supporter of Pakistan and wanted the people of Pakistan to progress and become prosperous.
He said the Pakistan was resilient and brave, and it would stand on its own feet by promoting trade and investment. Replying to a question about Pakistan’s relations with India, Shehbaz Sharif said India is a neighbouring country of Pakistan and we want to live with India with peace.
The Prime Minister impressed upon the Indian leadership particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi to let’s sit down and have serious and sincere talks to resolve all our burning issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir and reverse its decision taken on August 2019.
“My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that let us sit down on the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning issues like Kashmir,” the Pakistani prime minister said.
In Kashmir, flagrant human rights violations were taking place day in and day out, he said, adding that India had usurped any semblance of autonomy, given to the Kashmiris according to Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
Minorities in India were being persecuted, “This must stop so that message can go around the globe that India is ready to have talks,” said PM. Shehbaz Sharif added that India and Pakistan were neighbors and they had to live with each other.
“It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other, and waste time and resources. We have three wars with India, and it only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people. We have learned the lesson, and we want to live in peace provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems,” said PM.
“We want to alleviate poverty, achieve prosperity, and provide education and health facilities and employment to our people and not waste our resources on bombs and ammunition, that is the message I want to convey to PM Modi,” he added.
“We are nuclear powers, armed to the teeth and if God forbid a war breaks out who will live to tell what happened,” he remarked. He said the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could play an important role to bring India and Pakistan together, adding he would hold talks with the Indian leadership with the sincerity of purpose.
He said Saudi Arabia was a friendly and brotherly country, and they had unique brotherly relations for centuries. Before Pakistan came into being and carved out of India, millions of Muslims had brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia, and they were visiting Makkah and Medina, he recalled.
Answering another question, the Prime Minister said the survival of this world is in co-existence. He said tensions in Eastern Europe have devastated the entire world in terms of economy. He said Pakistan can hardly import commodities, fertilizers and oil due to this tension.
The Prime Minister said UAE and other brotherly countries are assisting Pakistan to overcome the difficult economic challenges, it is facing today. He also urged the countrymen to work hard and make untiring efforts to bring Pakistan out of these challenges.
Meanwhile, the Spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office says Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly stated on record that talks between Pakistan and India can only take place after India reverses its illegal action of August 5, 2019 and without India’s revocation of this step, negotiations are not possible.
In response to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s interview to Al Arabiya channel, the Spokesman said the Prime Minister has consistently maintained that Pakistan and India must resolve their bilateral issues, especially the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir through dialogue and peaceful means.
He said the settlement of the Kashmir dispute must be in accordance with the UN resolutions and the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The Spokesman said that the Prime Minister made this position very clear in his interview with Al Arabiya news channel during his recent visit to the UAE.
