Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described the recent visit of India’s foreign minister to Pakistan as a “good beginning” that could pave the way for improved relations between the two nations. His comments were reported by Indian media on Friday.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Pakistan on Tuesday and Wednesday for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, during which the capital was under tight security. Sharif, who leads the ruling Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz (PML-N) and is the brother of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, told a group of visiting Indian journalists, “This is how talks move forward. Talks should not stop.”
Jaishankar was one of nearly a dozen leaders attending the gathering in Islamabad, marking nearly a decade since an Indian foreign minister has visited amid strained relations between the two nuclear powers. While an official from the Pakistani foreign ministry mentioned an “informal interaction” between Jaishankar and his counterpart Ishaq Dar, New Delhi denied any formal meeting occurred. Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that the visit was solely for the SCO meeting, with only pleasantries exchanged on the sidelines.
Sharif emphasized the importance of not wasting time, stating, “We have lost the last 75 years, and it is crucial that we don’t lose the next 75 years,” as quoted by the Times of India.
