Pakistan Former PM Nawaz Sharif
Lahore: Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has said that India and Pakistan should forget the past and live as good neighbours. Sharif’s comments are being seen as an initiative to improve relations with India after Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad this week. Speaking to a group of Indian journalists, the three-time prime minister and president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (N) described Jaishankar’s visit as a “good beginning” and expressed hope that both sides would move forward with a positive attitude.
‘We should live like good neighbours’
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore in December 2015, Sharif said he was not happy with the “prolonged stagnation” in relations between the two countries and expressed hope that both sides would approach the situation with a positive outlook. Must move forward. Nawaz (74) said, “We cannot change our neighbours, neither Pakistan nor India. We should live as good neighbours.” When Sharif was asked if there was a need to build a ‘bridge’ between the two countries, he said, “That is the role I am trying to play.”
‘Both sides should sit and discuss’
Nawaz, elder brother of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said, “Things should progress like this.” We wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come, but it was good that the Indian Foreign Minister came. I have said earlier also that we should take the course of our talks forward.” He said, ”We have spent 70 years like this (fighting) and we should not let it continue for the next 70 years. We (PML-N governments) have worked hard to keep this relationship going. Both sides should sit and discuss how to move forward.
‘We better bury the past’
There was no bilateral meeting between the Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers during the SCO summit. However, some senior Pakistani officials say that Jaishankar’s visit has melted the long-standing ice in the relations between the two countries. Nawaz Sharif described Jaishankar’s visit to Islamabad as a good “start”. “We should not go into the past and look towards the future,” Sharif said. It would be better if we bury the past so that we can utilize the opportunities between the two countries.
Sharif remembered PM Modi’s visit to Lahore
Sharif also recalled Prime Minister Modi’s surprise visit to Lahore on December 25, 2015, while returning from Kabul. He said, “When Prime Minister Modi called me from Kabul and wished me on my birthday, I said that he is very welcome. He should come and meet my mother. These are no small things, they mean something to us, especially our countries. We should not ignore them.” Sharif said, ”I am not happy with the disruption in relations. I can speak on behalf of the people of Pakistan who are sympathetic to the people of India and I will say the same for the people of India.
Sharif said a big thing
The former prime minister advocated the resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan and said he would like to visit India if the two teams played in the final of a major tournament in the neighboring country. Sharif also stressed the importance of trade relations between the two sides. Sharif also recalled the visit of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lahore in 1999. “He is still remembered for the Lahore manifesto and his words at that time,” Sharif said. I watch videos of that trip and it feels great to have fond memories.”
‘Relations spoiled because of Imran Khan’
Sharif held former Prime Minister Imran Khan responsible for the poor relations between the two countries and specifically mentioned some of the comments made by Khan against Prime Minister Modi. He said, “Imran Khan used such words which spoiled relations. The leaders of both the countries should not even think, let alone speak such words.
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