New Delhi: Amid strained relations following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has extended an olive branch to India, expressing his country’s readiness to engage in dialogue “for peace.”
Speaking at the Kamra air base in Punjab province on Thursday, Prime Minister Sharif addressed officers and soldiers involved in recent military operations following heightened tensions with India. “Pakistan is ready for peace talks with India,” he said, adding that any dialogue must include discussion on the Kashmir issue.
Sharif was accompanied by key members of Pakistan’s political and military leadership, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Army Chief General Asim Munir, and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
The statement comes in the aftermath of a terror attack in Pahalgam on May 6, where 26 people—25 tourists and one local—were killed. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 militants.
In retaliation, Pakistan attempted strikes on Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. However, India responded with a forceful counterattack, targeting several Pakistani military installations including Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.
This was Prime Minister Sharif’s second visit to a defence facility following the escalation. A day earlier, he visited the Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot to meet with Pakistani troops.
India, for its part, has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of the country, rejecting any external interference or negotiation over its sovereign territory.
While Sharif’s remarks signal a potential diplomatic opening, the broader context of recent hostilities and long-standing disagreements—particularly over Kashmir—pose significant challenges to any future peace initiative.
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