NEW DELHI: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday expressed his willingness to carry talks with India, saying the 2 international locations can’t be “normal neighbours” except critical points are addressed by means of peaceable and significant discussions.

Sharif’s supply of talks throughout his speech on the inaugural session of the Pakistan Minerals Summit in Islamabad, got here slightly greater than six months after he made an analogous proposal throughout an interview with AlArabiya information channel. India and Pakistan haven’t had any substantial talks for the reason that 2008 Mumbai assaults New Delhi has linked any contacts to Islamabad cracking down on terror.

Though Sharif didn’t title any nation in his remarks, it was apparent he was referring to India. He stated warfare wasn’t an choice for each international locations and that there could be no survivors within the occasion of a “nuclear flashpoint”.

“We have nothing against anybody. We have to look after our own self, build our nation, even with our neighbour. We are prepared to talk to them, provided that the neighbour is serious to talk serious matters on the table because war is no more an option,” Sharif stated.

He stated it is vital for each international locations to handle their “serious issues” by means of talks however didn’t particularly point out any of those points.

“But it is equally important that our neighbour has to understand that we cannot become normal neighbours unless abnormalities are removed, unless our serious issues are understood and addressed through peaceful and meaningful discussions,” Sharif stated.

There was no speedy response from Indian officers to Sharif’s remarks.

The enterprise assembly in Islamabad was attended by Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir and a number of other overseas dignitaries.

Sharif additional stated: “Pakistan…is a nuclear power, not as an aggressor but for our defence purposes. And we had three wars, fought in the last 75 years. And what happened? I’m being very honest with you. It generated more poverty, unemployment and lack of resources to finance education, health and well-being of the people.”

He added: “So is this the way we have to adopt or to have a war of economic competition? Because, God forbid, God forbid, if there is any nuclear flashpoint, who will live to tell what happened? So that is not an option.”

In January, Sharif had offered to hold talks with India and stated he had requested the management of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to assist deliver the 2 international locations to the desk. Soon after, Islamabad made any discussions conditional to New Delhi restoring the particular standing of Jammu and Kashmir. At the time, Sharif was visiting the UAE.

Hours after Sharif made the offer during the interview with AlArabiya, the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad stated talks “can only take place after India had reversed its illegal action of August 5, 2019” – a reference to the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s particular standing.

The developments in Jammu and Kashmir and a string of terror assaults blamed on Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), together with the 2019 Pulwama bombing that killed 40 Indian troopers and introduced the 2 sides near warfare, have taken bilateral ties to an all-time low.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a number of peace overtures when Sharif’s elder brother, Nawaz Sharif, was the premier throughout 2013-17. Modi invited Nawaz Sharif to his swearing-in ceremony in 2014 and made a shock go to to Lahore in December 2015 to satisfy his then Pakistani counterpart. However, ties between the 2 sides had been subsequently derailed.

Sharif’s authorities is ready to be dissolved later this month to pave the best way for holding a normal election in Pakistan. It is unlikely that his authorities or the caretaker administration to be shaped to supervise the election can be able to conduct any substantial talks with India.