Sharif Firm On Resolving Disputes With India

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, while addressing the SAARC summit here yesterday, assured that his country was committed to resolving all its disputes with India through peaceful means to end the 50 years of mistrust and hostility in the region.

Sharif maintained a conciliatory tone and, without referring to any particular issue, said he was determined to continue the talks with India which were resumed after a gap of three years on his initiative soon after he assumed office. We are determined to continue the talks, he said.

This is perhaps for the first time in the 12-year SAARC history that Pakistan has avoided striking a discordant note on bilateral issues with India, observers here said.

 

Sharif spoke about the need to reduce expenditure on defence, which he said the countries of the region could divert to other productive sectors.

He talked of the political will to resolve all outstanding issues with India through peaceful negotiations.