In response to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's widely circulated interview with Al Arabiya channel, in which he emphasized his real wish to speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about all urgent issues, including Kashmir, the Pakistani government has issued a statement. The Prime Minister's Office (Pak PMO) released a statement in which it stated that talks with India could only begin after Pakistan reversed its "illegal action of August 5, 2019". This was in reference to the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which on that date removed Jammu and Kashmir's special status and divided the state into Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as two Union Territories.
Hours after Sharif stated in the interview that "Pakistan has learnt a lesson and wishes to live in peace with India," the PMO provided its "clarification." Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister, also said during the interview that the two neighbours shouldn't waste money on bombs and ammunition.
During a Monday interview with the Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel, Prime Minister Sharif made these remarks.
Sharif urged for peace with India
Earlier, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had urged India and Pakistan to sit and resolve the issue of Kashmir. In a recent interview, Sharif stated that the three wars his country fought with India have brought misery, poverty, and unemployment to the people, and called for serious and sincere talks to resolve the issue.
Sharif accused India for human rights violations in J&K
While talking to Al Arabiya TV, a Dubai-based news channel, Sharif also accused India of human rights violations and persecution of minorities in Jammu and Kashmir, and urged for the situation to be addressed.
Sharif also emphasized that India and Pakistan are neighbours and should strive to live peacefully and make progress together, rather than wasting resources on conflicts. He also shared a message for Indian PM Narendra Modi in which he expressed the desire to alleviate poverty, achieve prosperity, and provide education, health facilities, and employment to the people, rather than wasting resources on military equipment like bombs and ammunition.
Warned of consequences after nuclear war
Warning of catastrophic consequences after nuclear war, Sharif said that when both countries are armed with nuclear weapons and a war breaks out, no one would be left to tell the tale about what happened.
