Nawaz hopes to meet Modi in ‘not-too-distant future’

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed optimism about meeting Indian prime minister Narendra Modi in the near future as he advocated improved relations with the neighbouring country.

The PMLN president made these remarks during an interview with Indian journalist Barkha Dutt ahead of the highly anticipated Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, which Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is scheduled to attend.

“I have always been a supporter of good relations with India,” Nawaz said, expressing hope that there was an opportunity to revive the relationship. “It would have been a great thing if PM [Narendra] Modi had also attended the SCO summit. I do hope that he and us will have an opportunity to sit together in the not-too-distant future,” the former premier said.

Relations between the two countries have gone through periods of thaw from time to time but have been largely frozen since Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties in 2019 following abrogation of Article 370 — revoking special status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Islamabad has linked its decision to normalising ties with New Delhi with the restoration of the special status of the IIOJK. Despite the frosty ties, the two countries agreed to renew the 2003 ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) in February 2021.

Earlier in 2023, Nawaz stressed the need to improve relations with neighbours including India and Afghanistan, noting that during his tenures two Indian premiers — Atal Bihari Vajpa­yee in 1999 and Narendra Modi in 2015 — had visited Pakistan.

The PMLN president had also congratulated Modi on his re-election as the Indian prime minister for the record third time. “Your party’s success in recent elections reflects the confidence of the people in your leadership,” he wrote on X.

“Let us replace hate with hope and seize the opportunity to shape the destiny of the two billion people of South Asia,” he had added. Modi responded to the message in kind, saying: “Appreciate your message Nawaz Sharif. The people of India have always stood for peace, security and progressive ideas. Advancing the well-being and security of our people shall always remain our priority.”