ISLAMABAD: Pakistan hopes that the new Indian government would take steps for the advancement of peace in the region and the resolution of Kashmir dispute, the Pakistani Foreign Office said on Friday.
The development came as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was formally elected as the leader of the National Democratic Alliance coalition, which won the most number of seats in the country’s national election after his political party failed to win a majority on its own.
Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has governed India as part of the NDA coalition over the past decade, but this is the first time under his leadership that the party has needed support from its regional allies to form a government. Modi, who will be sworn in as PM on Sunday for a rare third term, will now form a coalition government.
Modi’s government canceled the limited autonomy Kashmir had under India’s constitution in 2019, a move accompanied by a huge security clampdown, mass arrests of local political leaders and a months-long telecommunications blackout.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan always desired cooperative relations with all its neighbors, including India, and consistently advocated constructive dialogue and engagement to resolve Kashmir and all outstanding issues.
“We want peace and stability in the region and Pakistan has been acting in a responsible manner, notwithstanding the difficulties and rhetoric coming from India,” she said.
“We hope that India will take steps to create a conducive environment for advancement of peace and dialogue and resolution of long-standing dispute for the mutual benefit of the peoples of Pakistan and India.”
Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. Both claim it in full and have fought two wars over control of the Himalayan region.
Separatist groups opposed to Indian rule have waged an insurgency since 1989 on the side of the frontier controlled by New Delhi, demanding either independence or a merger with Pakistan.
The conflict has killed tens of thousands of soldiers, separatists and civilians in the decades since, including a spate of firefights between suspected militants and security forces in the past month. India accuses Pakistan of supporting the separatists, a charge denied by Islamabad.
Baloch said India’s revocation of the semi-autonomous status of the territory it controls had “vitiated” the bilateral environment. “In any case, Pakistan believes in peaceful coexistence,” she added.
Pakistan hopes new Indian government will take steps for peace, resolution of Kashmir dispute
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Pakistan hopes new Indian government will take steps for peace, resolution of Kashmir dispute
- The development comes a day before Narendra Modi is expected to be sworn in as Indian premier for a rare third term
- Modi’s government canceled limited autonomy of Indian-administered Kashmir in 2019, deteriorating ties with Pakistan
Pakistan PM speaks to UAE president, calls for enhanced cooperation
- Shehbaz Sharif lauds UAE’s economic support in challenging times
- Both leaders discuss a range of issues, agree to stay in close contact
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised the United Arab Emirates for what he described as steadfast financial and political support during Islamabad’s recent economic crisis, as both sides signaled plans to deepen bilateral cooperation.
In a statement issued after Sharif spoke with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Prime Minister’s Office said the two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest and agreed to stay in close contact.
“The Prime Minister lauded the UAE’s consistent and unwavering support to Pakistan, that had helped the country navigate through difficult challenges,” the statement said, adding the two leaders “reaffirmed their shared desire to further enhance mutually beneficial cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE.”
The UAE, along with other friendly nations in the region, provided critical financial assistance to the South Asian country during a balance-of-payments crisis that strained Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves and pressured its currency. Islamabad subsequently secured an International Monetary Fund program as part of broader stabilization efforts.
Sharif, in a post on X, described the exchange as positive.
“We fondly recalled our recent meetings and reaffirmed our shared resolve to further strengthen the historic, fraternal ties between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, and to expand mutually beneficial cooperation,” he wrote.
Millions of Pakistanis live and work in the UAE, forming one of the largest expatriate communities in the Gulf state.
Remittances from the UAE rank among Pakistan’s top sources of foreign currency inflows and play a significant role in supporting the country’s external accounts.
UAE-based companies are also investing in Pakistan, helping Islamabad develop its seaports to facilitate regional trade.
