“My message to the Indian leadership and Prime Minister Modi is that let’s sit down at the table and have serious and sincere talks to resolve our burning points like Kashmir. It is up to us to live peacefully and make progress or quarrel with each other and waste time and resources,” Sharif was quoted as saying.

Here’s a take a look at how the Pakistan media has reacted to his assertion in its editorials.

DAWN: Foreign Mediation

Responding to Sharif’s suggestion that overseas intermediaries assist bridge the belief hole in South Asia — Sharif stated the UAE may assist allow a Pakistan-India dialogue on Kashmir — Pakistan’s Dawn publication commented that “while Pakistan has always been game, India has put up a rigid front, rejecting international involvement in its ‘internal’ matters’.”

In his interview, Sharif described UAE’s ruler Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as a “brother of Pakistan” who has “good relations with India”, and sought his intervention to convey India and Pakistan collectively for a dialogue on Kashmir.

“The reality is that despite this situation, both sides do listen to powerful common friends behind the scenes, and if these friends seriously offer their good offices, they should be taken up by both, even if it only leads to bilateral talks about talks,” stated the editorial in Dawn.

It additionally stated Pakistan’s effort for bilateral talks with India must be “led by elected leadership with the establishment endorsing the government’s decision”.

Calling to “reduce the toxic narrative”, the publication advocated for the speedy restoration of the excessive commissioners in each capitals, earlier than different confidence-building measures like “easing visa restrictions, resuming cultural and sporting exchanges and restoration of the high commissioners in both the capitals”.

PAKISTAN TODAY: Talking Kashmir

Pakistan Today’s editorial welcomed Sharif’s name to normalise relations with the nation’s “recalcitrant Eastern neighbour”, however stated it must be finished “while fully supporting the Kashmiris’ right of self-determination at all international forums.”

“India’s consistent unsubstantiated allegations of Pakistan sponsoring terrorism can only be addressed in any meaningful and satisfactory way if the former is able to produce credible and tangible proof of this activity so that the latter can take necessary action to make things right. For this, a conversation has to be had by sitting across each other on the negotiating table, not through hyperbolic statements by foreign offices or colorful jingoistic television programming,” the editorial stated.

It alleged that the withdrawal of Kashmir’s particular standing in August 2019 “forced young political activists to turn into militants”, which “further strained relations between Pakistan and India”.

Pakistan Today cautioned that any struggle between India and Pakistan, “who both possess nuclear bombs, could be devastating not only for the two neighbouring countries, but also the entire region and beyond”.

It stated the tensions between the international locations have compelled each to spend “an extra large chunk” of their budgets on defence as a substitute of training, well being and poverty alleviation.

The editorial stated the decision of all disputes between the 2 international locations, particularly Kashmir, might be helped by enhancing commerce and facilitation of people-to-people interplay.

THE NATION: Regional Stability

The Nation’s editorial known as Sharif’s efforts to fix Pakistan’s relationship with India “as genuine as ever”, however added that “the statements are likely to be received poorly in India”.

“This attempt to mend the broken relationship is as genuine as ever but, there is no guarantee that it will result in something positive. India must be willing to talk, compromise and end the diplomatic impasse we have reached over the course of years,” it stated. “Despite the intentions of our own government, the statements made by PM Shehbaz Sharif during the interview are likely to be received poorly in India—a common occurrence anytime we tend to mention our willingness to cooperate and India’s resistance to it.”

It stated alternatives for commerce and improvement are at the moment “going to waste”, and that “the neighbours must bury the hatchet in pursuance of the benefits that will be born out of a healthy partnership”.

Raising the difficulty of Kashmir, it stated the Indian authorities is “unwilling to acknowledge the illegitimate actions it has taken in Kashmir”.

THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL: Talks With India

“There can be little argument that neighbours need to try and live in harmony, use negotiation instead of violence, and look for mutual benefits rather than arbitrary attacks on the other,” an editorial in newspaper The News International states.

It stated, “India’s policy vis-a-vis Pakistan under the Modi regime has been that of a virtual standoff and the issue of Kashmir is the main reason why any government in Pakistan is always hesitant to make the first move without an unequivocal commitment by India”.

The News International says India and Pakistan should “give peace a chance”, including that “South Asia cannot move forward without Pakistan and India moving forward first”.

“PM Shehbaz’s conditional offer to talks is rather important. But it all depends on how India responds,” the publication says.

“A region that has already seen enough bloodshed to last it a lifetime, South Asia cannot move forward without Pakistan and India moving forward first. The entire region benefits if both countries reach an understanding on key issues and move forward with trade and open visa regimes. For that to happen, the first step has to be a resolution of the occupation of Kashmir by the Indian state,” it provides.