Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his willingness to engage in dialogue with India to resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

Speaking at a special session of the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) Assembly in Muzaffarabad on "Kashmir Solidarity Day," Sharif reiterated his call for talks between the two nations.

Call for Dialogue on Kashmir

"We want all issues, including Kashmir, to be resolved through talks," Sharif stated, urging India to move past the developments of August 5, 2019. His remarks referred to India's revocation of Article 370, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and reorganized it into two Union Territories.

Sharif urged India to honour commitments made to the United Nations and engage in discussions to resolve the Kashmir dispute.

India’s Firm Stand on Jammu & Kashmir

New Delhi has repeatedly affirmed that Jammu and Kashmir, along with Ladakh, is an integral part of India. India has also maintained that normal relations with Pakistan can only be established in an atmosphere free from terrorism, hostility, and violence.

Bilateral ties between the two countries have remained tense, particularly since the revocation of Article 370, with India rejecting any external intervention in its internal affairs.

Reference to Lahore Declaration

Sharif cited the Lahore Declaration of 1999, signed during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan, as a framework for restoring diplomatic ties. He emphasized that dialogue remains the only path to de-escalating tensions between the two nations.

Concerns Over Regional Stability

Criticizing India’s military build-up, Sharif claimed that stockpiling weapons would not ensure peace in the region. He urged India to adopt a "wise" approach, arguing that regional stability could only be achieved through diplomatic engagement.

Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s long-standing stance that Kashmir should be resolved through "the right to self-determination" as per UN resolutions. However, Pakistan’s repeated attempts to internationalize the Kashmir issue at the United Nations have not gained significant support, as most UN members view it as a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan.