Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for renewed efforts to improve relations with India, pointing to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Islamabad for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting as a positive step. Speaking to Indian journalists in Lahore, Sharif reflected on past gestures of goodwill, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 surprise visit to his home in Lahore, which he described as a significant moment of warmth and hope. However, Sharif expressed disappointment over the deterioration in relations following Modi’s visit, attributing it to events like the Pathankot terror attack in 2016 that derailed peace efforts.
Sharif also criticized his political rival, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, for worsening ties with India through inflammatory rhetoric and personal attacks on Modi. He emphasized the importance of maintaining respectful dialogue, noting that such harsh language only deepened the divide between the two nations. While Sharif did not offer specific proposals for resuming formal ties like trade or diplomatic appointments, he remained hopeful about future opportunities for dialogue and reconciliation, suggesting that progress could be made if the right openings emerge.
In the wake of Jaishankar’s attendance at the SCO meeting, Sharif saw this visit as a chance for India and Pakistan to “bury the past” and move forward. He proposed practical measures to rebuild trust, such as reopening trade routes and resuming cricketing ties, arguing that direct trade between the two countries would be mutually beneficial. Sharif emphasized that both nations have already lost too much time in conflict and should work towards positive cooperation in the years ahead.
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