LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that he has always advocated for better and cordial relations with India, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit presented a great opportunity to restore ties between Pakistan and India, and it would have been ideal if Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally attended the summit.
During a special interview with renowned Indian journalist Barkha Dutt, Nawaz Sharif expressed hope that he and Modi would have an opportunity to meet soon, which he believes could help bridge the distance between the two nations.
In a video released on the social media platform “X”, Barkha Dutt mentioned that she was in the office of the Punjab Chief Minister in Lahore. She pointed out that Maryam Nawaz Sharif is the daughter of former Nawaz Sharif, whose brother Shehbaz Sharif is currently the prime minister of Pakistan.
Barkha Dutt shared that she met both Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz Sharif, and from their statements, she sensed that Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s participation in the SCO summit would be of significant interest to India both before and after the event.
She also remarked that while both countries have made it clear that the Indian foreign minister’s visit is not focused on bilateral relations, Jaishankar is expected to address India’s concerns about terrorism in his speech at the summit in Pakistan.
Nawaz Sharif’s Statement as a Message
Barkha Dutt highlighted that Nawaz Sharif’s statement, given exclusively to her, is a message that should be conveyed to a broader audience. She noted that his remarks are of great importance.
She further explained that Nawaz Sharif has been making statements of interest to India over the past year. In May of this year, he mentioned that the aftermath of the Lahore Declaration was regrettable and criticized the events in Kargil, which he described as a violation of the agreement. He even went as far as to say that it was Pakistan’s fault.
A Larger Perspective
Barkha Dutt believes that Nawaz Sharif’s statements should be viewed in a larger context. In 2023, he praised India for its achievements, such as reaching the moon, while lamenting that Pakistan was in a state of decline. He has repeatedly emphasised that Pakistan is responsible for its own crises and downfall. Therefore, the statement given to her by Nawaz Sharif holds greater significance when seen from this perspective.
Previous Government’s Position on Talks with India
Barkha Dutt stressed that Nawaz Sharif’s statement is particularly important because the previous government had taken the official stance that Pakistan would not resume talks with India until the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir was reversed.
However, Nawaz Sharif did not mention this as a precondition in his interview. Instead, he expressed his hope that Prime Minister Modi would attend the summit and conveyed his desire to sit down directly with him in the near future.
Jaishankar to Focus on Terrorism
According to Barkha Dutt, India’s primary concern remains terrorism, and Jaishankar is expected to focus on this issue during his speech at the SCO summit.
However, Nawaz Sharif’s statement, delivered just hours before Jaishankar’s arrival in Pakistan, is noteworthy and adds an interesting dynamic to the discussion. Dutt speculated that this could be viewed in the context of Sharif’s ongoing remarks regarding India.
A Message to India
Barkha Dutt concluded by stating that Nawaz Sharif’s remarks seem to be a message to India about Pakistan’s current stance. Referring to the setting of the interview, she pointed out that it was conducted at the office of the Chief Minister of Punjab in Lahore.
Earlier on Monday, Indian journalist Barkha Dutt met with former Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in Lahore.
Barkha Dutt is in Pakistan to cover the SCO summit, and her meeting with the top PML-N leadership comes at a time when international media representatives have gathered in Pakistan to report on this high-profile event.
SCO Summit in Islamabad
Pakistan will host the 23rd Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Tuesday and Wednesday in Islamabad.
The meeting will be attended by prime ministers and senior officials from SCO member countries, including first vice presidents from Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran. Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will also attend.
According to media reports, delegations from various countries have already arrived in Islamabad, including a four-member Indian team, 76 representatives from Russia, 15 officials from China, a two-member Iranian delegation, and four officials from Kyrgyzstan.
Earlier, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar rejected the possibility of bilateral talks during the SCO summit, stating in response to a question at an event that while media interest is high due to the nature of the relationship, the summit will remain a multilateral event.