Islamabad : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan has learned a ‘lesson’ and wants to live in peace with India. He emphasized that both the neighbors should not waste their resources on bombs and ammunition. Sharif made the comments during an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel on Monday. Relations between India and Pakistan have been strained over the Kashmir issue and cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
Sharif said, “We have had three wars with India and this has only created more misery, poverty and unemployment for our people.” He said, ‘My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that let us sit at the table and have a serious and honest conversation to resolve burning issues like Kashmir.’ The Prime Minister said that Pakistan and India are neighbors and they have to ‘live with each other’.
‘Don’t waste resources on bombs, ammunition’
“We have learned our lesson and we want to live in peace provided we are able to solve our real problems,” Sharif said. We want to reduce poverty, achieve prosperity and provide education and health facilities and employment to our people. We do not want to waste our resources on bombs and ammunition. This is the message I want to give to Prime Minister Modi.
Conversation is possible only when…
Meanwhile, a spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office said on Tuesday that Sharif has consistently said that Pakistan and India should resolve their bilateral issues, especially the core issue of Kashmir, through dialogue. This statement came after Sharif’s interview. The spokesman said Sharif has repeatedly said that talks with India can happen only if New Delhi withdraws “its action to divide Jammu and Kashmir” in 2019.
