Unveiling his desire to transform India-Pakistan relations from confrontation to cooperation, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held his first meeting with India’s new prime minister Narendra Modi and underlined the need for both countries to work together to fructify the common agenda of development and revival.
In his parting message before leaving New Delhi after 45-minute meeting with Modi, Sharif said Pakistan was ready to discuss all issues between the two countries in a spirit of cooperation and sincerity.
Mapping the way forward, he said the foreign secretaries of the two countries will meet soon to carry forward the bilateral agenda in the spirit of the May 27 meeting which he described as “good and constructive.” In an unprecedented gesture of goodwill, Sharif defied hardliners in the military-dominated establishment to attend Modi’s oath-taking ceremony in Delhi May 26.
India”s Terror Concerns
In wide-ranging talks, India articulated its concerns on terror and underlined the need for expediting the trial of 26/11 accused and bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai mayhem. Our concerns on terror were clearly articulated, India’s foreign secretary Sujatha Singh said after the talks. In the meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan, PM underlined our concerns relating to terrorism,” said Singh. “It was conveyed that Pakistan must abide by its commitment to prevent its territory and territory under its control from being used for terrorism against India. We also expect that necessary steps will be taken in the Mumbai terror attack trial underway in Pakistan to ensure speedy progress of the case and the conviction of those responsible,” said Singh.
Sharif agreed that all issues will be discussed between the two countries, but struck a positive tone about invigorating engagement between the two subcontinental neighbours.
“A Historic Opportunity”
“We agreed that our meeting in New Delhi should be a historic opportunity for both our countries. I pointed out that we were at the beginning of our respective tenures, with a clear mandate. This provides us the opportunity of meeting the hopes and aspirations of our peoples that we will succeed in turning a new page in our relations. The one and a half billion people of the two countries want us to focus on their well—being and welfare,” he said in a statement read out to the media online casino’s at a luxury hotel he was staying in New Delhi.
Recalling his invitation to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to visit Lahore in February 1999, Sharif said he “intended to pick up the threads of the Lahore Declaration, from where it had to be left off in October 1999.”
In a tacit endorsement of Modi’s development-centric agenda, the Pakistani prime minister struck a statesman-like tone and spoke about realising the dreams of one and a half billion people of the two countries. “I stressed to Prime Minister Modi that we have a common agenda of development and economic revival, which is not possible to achieve without peace and stability in the region,” he said.
“I urged that together, we should rid the region of instability and insecurity, that has plagued us for decades.”
“Consequently, it was important for us to work together for peace, progress and prosperity. Finally, I urged that we had to strive to change confrontation into cooperation.
Exhorting the two countries to move beyond the vicious spiral of accusations and counter—accusations, Sharif underscored that in his talks he emphasised that “we owe it to our people to overcome the legacy of mistrust and misgivings.”
People-centric Diplomacy
Putting people at the heart of a relationship that is prone to volatility, Sharif rooted for “greater people—to—people exchanges, at all levels.”
“Prime Minister Modi warmly reciprocated my sentiments and remarked that my visit to New Delhi was seen as a special gesture by the people of India. He stated that it was incumbent on both of us to work together, to achieve our common objectives for peace and development.
“I take leave of this historic city. I do so with a strong sense that the leaderships and the peoples of our two countries share a desire and mutual commitment to carry forward our relationship, for the larger good of our peoples,” Sharif added.
Author Profile
- Manish Chand is Founder-CEO and Editor-in-Chief of India Writes Network (www.indiawrites.org) and India and World, a pioneering magazine focused on international affairs. He is CEO/Director of TGII Media Private Limited, an India-based media, publishing, research and consultancy company.
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