Islamabad /New Delhi, June 27: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed readiness for a “meaningful dialogue” with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, trade, and terrorism, Radio Pakistan reported on Thursday.
Sharif conveyed his views during a telephone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on June 24, amid ongoing regional tensions that spiked following a deadly terror attack in India’s Pahalgam region on April 22, which killed 26 people.
“Pakistan is ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues,” Sharif said, referencing the Kashmir dispute, water sharing, trade, and terrorism. He also expressed gratitude to Saudi Arabia for its support during the recent standoff with India.
India, however, has maintained a firm stance. New Delhi has clarified that it will engage in dialogue with Islamabad only on the issues of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and cross-border terrorism, rejecting broader discussions unless Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” ceases support for terrorism.
“Terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier remarks.
Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and halted all bilateral trade with Pakistan. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, a military strike targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The operation triggered four days of military clashes, which ended in a mutual understanding to halt hostilities on May 10.
Sharif had earlier voiced openness to talks with India during visits to Iran and Azerbaijan, but India has remained steadfast in linking any engagement to Pakistan’s actions on terrorism.
During the call, Sharif and the Saudi Crown Prince also discussed the situation in West Asia. The Pakistani leader expressed support for the de-escalation of the Iran-Israel conflict, urging peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman acknowledged Pakistan’s solidarity and “constructive role” in promoting regional peace, Radio Pakistan said.
