Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Nawaz Sharif are set to meet on July 10 during the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Russia. (Image courtesy: Moneycontrol)
Islamabad, October 18, 2024:- The recent visit of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting on October 16 has garnered considerable attention, sparking hope for a potential thaw in the strained relations between India and Pakistan.
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, speaking with India Today, expressed optimism, calling Jaishankar’s visit a potential “beginning” towards resolving long-standing issues. He emphasized the importance of restarting dialogue between the two nations, citing unresolved disputes that have plagued India-Pakistan relations for decades.
“We need to resume talks from where we left off,” Sharif said, underlining the urgency of renewing diplomatic efforts and not allowing past tensions to derail future progress. He reflected on the 75 years of hostility between the two countries, urging, “We’ve already lost 75 years to conflict. Let’s not lose another 75.”
Sharif expressed regret that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not attend the SCO meeting. “It would have been good if Modi had come,” he remarked, stressing the need for the two countries to engage as neighbours. “We cannot change our geography. We must learn to live as good neighbours.”
Jaishankar’s speech at the SCO meeting avoided direct engagement with Pakistan but touched on key regional issues. He warned of the “three evils”—terrorism, extremism, and separatism—that continue to hinder regional cooperation, including trade and people-to-people connectivity. “Our initiatives will advance only when our commitment to the SCO Charter is resolute,” he asserted.
Jaishankar also met with Pakistan’s Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, who is a close associate of Nawaz Sharif, fueling further speculation of possible diplomatic overtures. Though cautious, Sharif’s remarks and Jaishankar’s visit have sparked hope among political observers that India and Pakistan may shift from confrontation to cooperation.
Despite these signs of optimism, deep political and security concerns still loom large, with significant challenges lying ahead for both nuclear-armed neighbours.
