Amid tensions between India and Pakistan, after the sentencing of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said his country “will never hesitate to extend the hand of friendship to all.”
“Cooperation rather than conflict, and shared prosperity instead of suspicion are the hallmark(s) of our policy,” Sharif said while addressing the passing-out parade at Asghar Khan PAF Academy in Risalpur.
“Pakistan, for its part, shall never waver from returning goodwill with even more goodwill,” Sharif added, according to Dawn.
Pakistan, India 'Cannot Remain Enemies Forever', Says Pak NSA
Accusing India of "defeating the spirit of bilateralism" by defying talks over the Kashmir issue, Pakistan's National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has said the two neighbours "cannot remain enemies forever", and they need to engage and resolve their disputes.
Pakistan's NSA claimed that the international community is overlooking the Kashmir issue due to their own strategic interests related to India.
“Although India considers Kashmir a bilateral issue, it has defeated the spirit of bilateralism by defying any dialogue over it,” Janjua said while speaking to Canadian High Commissioner Perry Calderwood.
"We need to engage with each other and resolve disputes. Pakistan and India cannot remain enemies forever," he said, amid a strain in Indo-Pak ties.
Pakistan Army Chief Meets Sharif Amid Indo-Pak Tensions
Pakistan's Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad, and discussed preparedness of the army, Kulbhushan Jadhav’s sentencing and the border situation, Radio Pakistan reported.
Sharif and Bajwa agreed to not to bow to any pressure over the death sentence awarded to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. Sama TV quoted an official source as saying that the Army Chief called on Sharif and took him “into confidence regarding ... Jadhav”.
It was the first direct interaction between the Army Chief and the Prime Minister, PTI reported.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS.)
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