Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signaled on Thursday a willingness to talk to India, saying that Pakistan is willing to seek peace, if the Kashmir dispute is on the agenda.
Sharif made the remarks when he visited the Kamra air base in Punjab province and met with officers and staff involved in the recent military standoff with India.
We are prepared to sit down and talk with India for peace," the Prime Minister said, adding that any peaceful resolution has to take into account the long-standing Kashmir dispute.
India, for its part, has repeatedly asserted that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are an integral and inalienable part of the nation.
Shehbaz was joined by some of the top officials on his visit, such as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Army Chief General Asim Munir, and Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu.
This is Sharif's second military installation visit in recent days, after India and Pakistan signed a de-escalation deal on May 10. The agreement followed four days of intense cross-border fire with drone and missile attacks.
The escalation began with India launching Operation Sindoor on the night of May 6-7 in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. The Indian military targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, reportedly eliminating over 100 militants.
They responded by trying to strike various Indian military camps on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian forces then retaliated strongly, attacking major Pakistani military camps, including ones in Rafiqui, Murid, Chaklala, Rahim Yar Khan, Sukkur, and Chunian.
Shehbaz had also toured Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot on Wednesday, where he greeted soldiers stationed along the border.
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