Friday, Sep 5, 2025
English News
  • Hyderabad
  • Telangana
  • AP News
  • India
  • World
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Science and Tech
  • Business
  • Rewind
  • ...
    • NRI
    • View Point
    • cartoon
    • My Space
    • Olympics
    • Education Today
    • Reviews
    • Property
    • Lifestyle
E-Paper
  • NRI
  • View Point
  • cartoon
  • My Space
  • Reviews
  • Education Today
  • Property
  • Lifestyle
Home | Editorials | Editorial Sharifs Friendly Overtures

Editorial: Sharif’s friendly overtures

Nawaz Sharif’s call for resumption of ‘constructive dialogue’ must be taken with a pinch of salt

By Telangana Today
Published Date - 18 October 2024, 11:55 PM
Editorial: Sharif’s friendly overtures
File photo of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
whatsapp facebook twitter telegram

If words of friendship alone were enough to magically erase the historic tensions between the nations, the world would have been a different place by now. Words, however well-intended they may be, will sound hollow and empty unless backed by credible actions on the ground. This is particularly relevant in the case of the bilateral relationship with Pakistan which is held hostage by Islamabad’s dangerously flawed, yet consistent, strategy of using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Given this baggage of betrayals and misadventures, the latest friendly overtures by former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his call for resumption of ‘constructive dialogue’ between the two countries must be taken with a pinch of salt. Sharif, a three-time Prime Minister whose support for the revival of trade relations with India is well known, argues that the two countries must ‘bury the past’, move beyond the historical conflicts and focus on building better future relations by engaging in constructive dialogue. Interestingly, Sharif, whose younger brother Shehbaz Sharif is the current Prime Minister, has offered to play a ‘bridge-building role’ and spoke passionately about the importance of resumption of cricketing ties and establishment of trade relations between the two nations. Such sentiments, when packaged as carefully worded public statements, will make good optics and hog the media headlines but will not alter the realities on the ground. The timing of the former PM’s conciliatory remarks is significant as they came at the conclusion of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Pakistan to participate in the conclave of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the first by an Indian foreign minister in nine years.

Though there was no separate bilateral meeting between Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers, Sharif and some Pakistani officials viewed Jaishankar’s visit as an “ice-breaker”. The bilateral ties have been in deep freeze since the Pulwama terror attack and the retaliatory Balakot airstrikes of February 2019. While one cannot dispute Sharif’s suggestion that both countries must move forward and tap the full potential for bilateral trade, it must, however, be pointed out that the onus lies on Islamabad to create a conducive atmosphere. The only option before Pakistan is to dismantle the terror infrastructure and stop nurturing anti-India terror outfits operating on its soil. Cross-border terrorism is the single most important issue that needs to be tackled for the normalisation of bilateral ties. India has been steadfast in its position that trade and terrorism cannot go together and that Islamabad must take credible steps to end the support to militant outfits operating from its soil. Talks cannot happen in a vacuum. Pakistan’s intransigence on the Kashmir issue is another major stumbling block in the way of revival of normalcy in bilateral relations. Pakistani rulers must realise that their obsession with Kashmir will not lead them anywhere.


  • Follow Us :
  • Tags
  • Balakot airstrikes
  • Islamabad
  • Jaishankar
  • Nawaz Sharif

Related News

  • India, Germany aim to double bilateral trade, trade hits $33.4 billion: EAM Jaishankar

    India, Germany aim to double bilateral trade, trade hits $33.4 billion: EAM Jaishankar

  • 14 killed, 35 injured in suicide bombing after BNP rally in Pakistan’s Balochistan

    14 killed, 35 injured in suicide bombing after BNP rally in Pakistan’s Balochistan

  • 5 militants killed, 6 policemen injured in gunfight in northwest Pakistan

    5 militants killed, 6 policemen injured in gunfight in northwest Pakistan

  • Modi says India-China cooperation will benefit all humanity during Tianjin talks with Xi

    Modi says India-China cooperation will benefit all humanity during Tianjin talks with Xi

Latest News

  • Hyderabad Pickleball League: Saina joins Keerthi Warriors as co-owner

    4 hours ago
  • Hyderabad sports roundup: Snehit, Sreeja for Asian Table Tennis

    5 hours ago
  • Doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta distributes kit to Telangana fencing squad members

    5 hours ago
  • Mahadev crushes Mayura as Preethesh hits unbeaten 148 in HCA C-Division championship

    5 hours ago
  • Yuvraj launches innovative multi-city Indian Golf Premier League

    5 hours ago
  • The Gambits, a documentary on Global Chess League

    5 hours ago
  • Traffic curbs in Hyderabad for Ganesh idol immersion on Saturday

    5 hours ago
  • 10 indian boxers get bye in first round of World Boxing Championships

    5 hours ago

company

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

business

  • Subscribe

telangana today

  • Telangana
  • Hyderabad
  • Latest News
  • Entertainment
  • World
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Science & Tech
  • Sport

follow us

  • Telangana Today Telangana Today
Telangana Today Telangana Today

© Copyrights 2024 TELANGANA PUBLICATIONS PVT. LTD. All rights reserved. Powered by Veegam