A “new dawn” in Pakistan-India relations can emerge by enhancing mutual understanding, addressing shared concerns and resolving “longstanding disputes”, including the Kashmir issue, Pakistani Charge d’Affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich has said.
The comments by the Pakistani envoy came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a podcast that every attempt to foster peace with Pakistan was met with hostility and betrayal and that he hoped wisdom would prevail on the leadership in Islamabad to improve bilateral ties.
Warraich made the remarks at a reception hosted by the Pakistani High Commission on Thursday night on the occasion of the country’s national day.
There was no representation from the Indian side at the event. It is not clear whether Pakistan invited Indian officials for the reception.
India has been maintaining that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan while insisting that the onus is on Islamabad to create an environment free of terror and hostility for such engagement.
New Delhi has also been stressing that the entire Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and Pakistan has been illegally occupying parts of the Union territory.
The Pakistani diplomat stressed that Islamabad has consistently endeavoured friendly relations with other states based on the principles of “sovereign equality, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence.” This edifying approach has also guided our quest to seek peaceful relations with India, he noted.
“South Asia — our shared home — should march forward with stable peace, equal security and shared prosperity,” Warraich underlined.
To this end, he emphasised the need for a constructive spirit that prioritises collaborative efforts towards common solutions and do not seek to impose forced outcomes.
“The path of diplomacy remains more imperative than ever,” he stressed.
Noting that the event coincided with the joyous festival of Navroz, he said that since times immemorial, the advent of spring has served as a harbinger of hope, renewal, and rejuvenation, a Pakistani readout said.
“A new dawn in Pakistan-India relations can emerge by enhancing mutual understanding, addressing shared concerns and resolving longstanding disputes including Jammu and Kashmir,” Warraich concluded.
The ties between India and Pakistan came under severe strain after India’s warplanes pounded a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan in February 2019 in response to the Pulwama terror attack.
The relations further deteriorated after India on August 5, 2019 announced the withdrawal of special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and the bifurcation of the state into two union territories.
Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with India after New Delhi abrogated Article 370.
There has been no structured bilateral talks between India and Pakistan for over eight years. However, both sides are engaging at the multilateral forums.
Pakistan’s then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in May 2023 to attend an in-person meeting of the foreign ministers of SCO nations in Goa.
In October last year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad to also attend an SCO conclave. (AGENCIES)
