Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has on Wednesday called for talks with India to discuss all issues, including Kashmir. Sharif said that the only way to move forward is through dialogue, and he asked India to reconsider its position after it removed Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special status. This decision, made on August 5, 2019, has caused tensions between India and Pakistan.
Sharif made these comments during Kashmir Solidarity Day in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). This event is held every year to show support for Kashmiris. Sharif said, “We want all issues, including Kashmir, to be resolved through talks,” and he urged India to “come out of the thinking of August 5, 2019, and fulfill promises made to the UN and start a dialogue.”
He also mentioned the 1999 Lahore Declaration, a peace agreement between India and Pakistan, saying, “The only way forward for Pakistan and India is through dialogue, as has already been written in the 1999 Lahore Declaration.”
Even though Sharif called for peace, he also criticized India. He accused India of stockpiling weapons and said, “Stockpiling weapons will not bring peace and will not change the fate of the people of this region.” He urged India to “act wisely because the path to progress is peace.” Sharif also promised that Pakistan would continue to support the Kashmiris, saying, “Pakistan will continue its unwavering moral, diplomatic, and political support to the Kashmiris until they achieve their right to self-determination.” He added, “The only solution to the Kashmir issue is the right of self-determination under the UNSC resolution.”
India’s position is clear, however. India has repeatedly said that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “was, is, and shall forever” remain a part of India. India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar, has said that there will be no talks unless Pakistan stops supporting terrorism. He also said that “relations with India will not be discussed in Pakistan,” and that India will only engage with Pakistan if there is peace and no hostility.
India has also rejected calls for international intervention, saying the Kashmir issue should be solved directly between India and Pakistan. India has made it clear that peace and good relations with Pakistan will only be possible if Pakistan stops supporting terrorism.
Even though Pakistan continues to call for talks, it is criticized for supporting groups that engage in violence. India’s approach remains focused on peace, but it prioritizes security and an end to Pakistan’s support for terrorism.
For now, it is unclear if India and Pakistan will have talks. India insists that talks can only happen if Pakistan stops supporting terrorism and creates an environment of peace.