JEDDAH: SHAHRUKH JAMSHED | ARAB NEWS STAFF
Published — Sunday 4 August 2013
Pakistan and India should sit down for serious talks on lingering issues for the benefit of their respective countrymen, said Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Sharif, who is on a private visit to Saudi Arabia, was talking to members of the Pakistan Journalists Forum (PJF) who called on him at his residence here Saturday to congratulate him on assuming the office for the third time.
“We (Pakistan and India) have been piling up weapons for the past 60 years,” Sharif said. “Instead of spending so much on arms, we should focus on investing in social infrastructure for the benefit of our people.”
The two nuclear rivals have fought three wars since independence from the British.
Citing the example of the US and Russia, he said that India and Pakistan should follow them by adopting similar policies to restrict their defense budgets.
Terming the recently announced Gwadar-Kashghar economic corridor a game changer, he said that special industrial zones would be set up in Gwadar to facilitate foreign investment.
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Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif welcomes members of the Pakistan Journalists Forum at his residence in Jeddah on Saturday. (AN photo by Thamer Al-Faraj)
Nawaz Sharif’s thought to have good relations with India is very good and need of Pakistan and the region’s peace. As he said while on his visit to Saudi Arab. But there is huge contradiction in his statement and the ground reality in Pakistan. One, it is never possible to start normal relations with India until our security forces are taken not board and history shows different things. Two, before Nawaz Sharif start relations with India what will be his policy regarding Jihadi forces in Pakistan who are historically known for anti India record. Most of these forces are known funded by Saudi Arab who claim to be a good friend of Nawaz Sharif.Alone Nawaz Sharif and PMLN has not ability to achieve positive result until other stake holders are not taken on board. Big question how it can be possible?