Shehbaz Sharif Offers Peace Talks with India, Insists on Kashmir as Key Issue

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday declared that his country is ready to engage in peace talks with India, but emphasized that any such dialogue must include the issue of Kashmir. He made these remarks while addressing military officers and personnel at the Kamra Airbase in Punjab province.

“We are ready to hold talks with India for peace,” said Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming that Kashmir remains a core condition for initiating the discussions. His statement comes in the wake of recent military confrontations between the two nations, marking his proposal as significant in the current context.

India has repeatedly asserted that the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are integral parts of the country and will remain so under all circumstances.

In retaliation for the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam on May 6 and 7, which claimed 26 lives, Indian armed forces launched ‘Operation Sindoor’. As part of this operation, India targeted nine terrorist camps located in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly neutralizing over 100 militants.

In response, Pakistan made unsuccessful attempts to attack several Indian military installations on May 8, 9, and 10. Indian forces retaliated forcefully, launching counter-attacks on several Pakistani military bases, including those in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.

Following this escalation, both nations reached an understanding on May 10 to de-escalate the conflict. In the aftermath of these developments, Shehbaz Sharif visited various military bases, including a visit to the Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot on Wednesday, where he interacted with military personnel.