Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his openness to working with neighboring India in an effort to further regional development while stressing that Pakistan has "nothing against anyone" and that Pakistan is open to cooperation.
The premier wants to encourage meaningful contact despite a history of tense relations between the two countries, which have been harmed by three wars since their independence in 1947.
However, after India's decision to abolish the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, bilateral ties have remained gravely harmed, effectively putting an end to diplomatic exchanges.
The Pakistan Minerals Summit's opening session was addressed by PM Shehbaz on Tuesday. He added, "We are prepared to talk with everyone, even with our neighbor, provided that the neighbor is serious enough to put serious matters on the table because war is no longer an option."
https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan/status/1686278420513386496?s=20
The conference aims to boost foreign direct investment and help the country transition from "Dust to Development."
The second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project was mentioned before the prime minister made his comments about collaborating with the US and India.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan has nuclear weapons, but not as a means of aggression but rather as self-defense.
He added that the country had fought three wars with India in the previous 75 years, which had only served to exacerbate poverty, unemployment, and the lack of funds for the nation's citizens' health, education, and general well-being.
He emphasized that this was not the method to adapt but rather to compete economically in the area.
"Because who will survive to explain what occurred if there is a nuclear flashpoint? Therefore, going to war is not an option, he said, adding that while Pakistan recognizes the problem, it is also crucial for India to grasp it as well.
"We cannot become normal neighbors unless anomalies are gone and until our severe difficulties are acknowledged and resolved via calm and meaningful dialogues," according to PM Shehbaz. "Therefore, it is equally vital for our neighbor to comprehend this," he added.
The premier wants to encourage meaningful contact despite a history of tense relations between the two countries, which have been harmed by three wars since their independence in 1947.
However, after India's decision to abolish the special status of occupied Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, bilateral ties have remained gravely harmed, effectively putting an end to diplomatic exchanges.
The Pakistan Minerals Summit's opening session was addressed by PM Shehbaz on Tuesday. He added, "We are prepared to talk with everyone, even with our neighbor, provided that the neighbor is serious enough to put serious matters on the table because war is no longer an option."
https://twitter.com/GovtofPakistan/status/1686278420513386496?s=20
The conference aims to boost foreign direct investment and help the country transition from "Dust to Development."
The second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project was mentioned before the prime minister made his comments about collaborating with the US and India.
PM Shehbaz said Pakistan has nuclear weapons, but not as a means of aggression but rather as self-defense.
He added that the country had fought three wars with India in the previous 75 years, which had only served to exacerbate poverty, unemployment, and the lack of funds for the nation's citizens' health, education, and general well-being.
He emphasized that this was not the method to adapt but rather to compete economically in the area.
"Because who will survive to explain what occurred if there is a nuclear flashpoint? Therefore, going to war is not an option, he said, adding that while Pakistan recognizes the problem, it is also crucial for India to grasp it as well.
"We cannot become normal neighbors unless anomalies are gone and until our severe difficulties are acknowledged and resolved via calm and meaningful dialogues," according to PM Shehbaz. "Therefore, it is equally vital for our neighbor to comprehend this," he added.