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Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called for “serious and sincere talks” with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on “burning points like Kashmir” during an interview that aired on Monday, 16 January.
During an interview to Arabic TV news channel Al Arabiya, Sharif said that Pakistan has learned its lesson after three massive wars with its neighbours, India, and further stressed that it wants peace with New Delhi.
He said, "We have had three wars with India, and they have only brought more misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people."
"We have learnt our lesson, and we want to live in peace with India, provided we are able to resolve our genuine problems," Sharif further told the Dubai-based news channel.
Subsequently, the Pakistani Prime Minister's Office (PMO) issued a clarification in a series of tweets, saying that Sharif had made it clear that talks will only be possible when India reverses the abrogation of Article 370, which granted autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Let's be very blunt, even if we are not neighbours by choice we are there forever and it is up to us for us to live peacefully and progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources. That is up to us," Sharif said in the interview.
One of the most contentious items on the list of India and Pakistan’s shared interests has to be Jammu and Kashmir.
Sharif raised the issue in this interview and claimed that Pakistan wants peace, “but what is happening in Kashmir should be stopped,” alleging that the region witnesses a “flagrant violation of human rights.”
Sharif said the people of Kashmir deserved “whatever semblance of autonomy was given to the Kashmiris in the Constitution, under Article 370 which (was) revoked in August 2019”.
The Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) leader also said that both countries have great strengths vested in the large number of engineers, doctors, and skilled labourers.
"We want to utilise these assets for prosperity and to bring peace to the region so that both nations can grow,” he said.
Sharif also claimed that Pakistan does not want to waste resources on bombs and ammunition.
Following the interview and widespread media coverage, the Pakistan PMO issued a clarification that claimed that during the interview, PM Sharif consistently maintained that while India and Pakistan must resolve their issues through bilateral dialogue and peace, such talks shall commence only after India revokes the abrogation of Article 370.
In a now-deleted tweet, the Pakistan PMO said:
It added, “The settlement of the Kashmir dispute must be in accordance with the UN resolutions & aspirations of people of Jammu & Kashmir.”
Back in November 2022, India slammed Pakistan for bringing up the Kashmir issue during a debate at the United Nations, calling it "desperate attempts to peddle falsehoods".
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