Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Discusses Kashmir in First Speech
Shortly after assuming office as Pakistan’s prime minister for the second time, Shehbaz Sharif wasted no time in bringing up the Kashmir dispute and pressing the Pakistan National Assembly to find a solution for the Kashmiri and Palestinian people.
“Let’s get everyone together. and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Palestinians and Kashmiris,” Shehbaz Sharif stated in his first speech as the country’s leader, despite the fact that it is well known that his elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), will make all decisions pertaining to the operation of the federal government.
The prime minister of Pakistan promised to strengthen relations with neighbors, but a Times of India report that quoted people familiar with the developments stated that Pakistan is unlikely to change its position and that it will only normalize relations with India if the latter reverses its decision from August 2019 to revoke the special status of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the article, India’s message to Pakistan is to concentrate on fostering a terror-free atmosphere in the area and refrain from interfering in its neighbors’ domestic issues. The story did not completely rule out the prospect of PM Narendra Modi sending Shehbaz a congratulations message.
The investigation also made it clear that Shehbaz Sharif could have fabricated his remarks about Kashmir in order to appease allies of his unsteady alliance. According to his party’s election program, Pakistan would only establish regular relations with India if Article 370—which granted the former state special status—is reinstated. Observers claim that the Pakistan Army, which did not support Imran Khan, the head of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), helped the Sharif family retake power.
According to the TOI article, Islamabad believes that any progress towards mending ties can only occur after the Lok Sabha elections. At the moment, Pakistani junior foreign service professionals serve as charge d’affaires. Due to Pakistan’s decision to recall its high commissioner in 2019 when Article 370 was revoked, this has been ongoing since then.
Due to Pakistan’s support of cross-border terrorism, India is adhering to its zero-tolerance policy for terrorism, and Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has ruled out the resuscitation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) this weekend.
According to the report, the Supreme Court’s request for statehood restoration and early elections in Jammu and Kashmir remain the only paths to restoring normality to bilateral ties.
