Islamabad, February 5 Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stressed the need for dialogue with India to resolve all pending issues, including Kashmir. Addressing a special session of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Assembly on the occasion of ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’, Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s “moral, diplomatic, and political support” for the Kashmiri people.
Call for Dialogue and Reversal of Article 370 Abrogation
Sharif emphasized that Pakistan desires peace and views dialogue as the only viable path to stability and prosperity in the region. Referring to India’s abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, he urged New Delhi to reconsider its decision and initiate talks. According to Sharif, lasting peace in the region will remain elusive unless the Kashmir issue is resolved.
Quoting the 1999 Lahore Declaration, Sharif recalled that bilateral dialogue was agreed upon between both nations during the visit of then-Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Pakistan. He maintained that even today, dialogue remains the foundation for improving relations between India and Pakistan.
Sharif further urged the international community to pressurize India to engage in discussions over Kashmir, claiming that the dispute must be resolved under UN Security Council resolutions.
Accusations Against India’s Military Buildup
The Pakistani Prime Minister also accused India of increasing its military arsenal, asserting that military expansion will not lead to peace. He insisted that South Asia’s people need economic and social development, not an arms race.
Pakistan’s Stand on Kashmir
Sharif reiterated that Pakistan will continue supporting the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination until their demands are met. He emphasized that Kashmir should be resolved per UN resolutions and called upon global powers to intervene and ensure Kashmiris get the “right to decide their future.”
India’s Firm Stance on Kashmir
India has consistently maintained that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are its integral and inseparable parts. New Delhi has categorically stated that relations with Pakistan can only normalize if Islamabad stops supporting terrorism, hate, and hostility.
After the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, India asserted that the move was its internal matter and that any external interference is unacceptable.
Pakistani PM Emphasizes Dialogue with India on Kashmir and Other Issues
