Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with India “for peace,” in the wake of heightened tensions and recent military confrontations between the two neighboring countries. The statement came during Sharif’s visit on May 15 to the Kamra air base in Punjab province, where he met with officers and soldiers involved in operations against India.
Sharif, accompanied by key officials including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Army Chief General Asim Munir, and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, underlined that any meaningful peace talks must address the long-standing Kashmir dispute. “We are ready to talk with it for peace,” he said, stressing that the “conditions for peace” must include the resolution of Kashmir.
India, however, rejected Pakistan’s proposal to link talks with Kashmir. On the same day, India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reiterated that India’s main concern remains cross-border violence. Speaking at the inauguration of the Honduras embassy in New Delhi, Jaishankar stated that the only pending matter regarding Kashmir is the return of Pakistan-occupied territories to India. He added that any bilateral dialogue with Pakistan would focus on ending hostile cross-border activities.
