A wave of nostalgia and a call for a new era of cooperation have swept through Pakistan’s political landscape, with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urging the end of a ‘long pause’ in India-Pakistan relations. He harked back to the surprise visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Lahore in December 2015, a gesture that, in Sharif’s view, symbolizes the potential for positive change.
Sharif’s call for a thaw in ties comes at a time of cautiously optimistic developments between the two nations. The recent visit of India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Pakistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) conclave – the first by an Indian minister in nine years – has been hailed as a step in the right direction.
The 2015 Lahore visit, which saw Modi make a surprise stopover in Lahore on his way back from a visit to Afghanistan, holds a special significance for Sharif. He recounted the warm reception he gave Modi, including a birthday wish and a visit to his mother’s residence. “When PM Modi called me from Kabul and asked to wish me for my birthday, I said he was very welcome. He came and met my mother. These are not small gestures, they mean something to us, especially in our countries. We should not overlook them,” Sharif stated.
Sharif’s brother, Shehbaz Sharif, is the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the family’s influence in the country’s politics is undeniable. Their commitment to improved relations with India is therefore a significant development. Sharif also expressed his preference for Modi to have visited Pakistan himself but welcomed the Indian foreign minister’s visit.
He emphasized the need to move beyond the decades of conflict that have characterized India-Pakistan relations, stating, “We have spent 70 years in this way (fighting) and we should not let this go on for the next 70 years. We [PML-N governments] have tried hard to work on this relationship to let it just go this way. Both sides should sit down and discuss how to go forward.”
However, the path to reconciliation is not without its challenges. The 2016-2019 period saw a significant strain in relations due to a series of terrorist attacks in India attributed to groups operating from across the border, supported by Pakistan and its military establishment. This led to India adopting a policy of linking diplomatic dialogues to action against terrorism, refusing to engage in bilateral discussions while terrorism persisted.
Sharif blamed former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, currently imprisoned, for the deterioration in relations, attributing it to Khan’s inflammatory rhetoric. He expressed his deep concern over the current state of affairs and a genuine desire for better relations.
Sharif’s words, while offering a hopeful message, highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of the India-Pakistan relationship. The future of these two nations hinges on finding a common ground, a path that requires dialogue, mutual trust, and a shared commitment to peace and stability. The 2015 Lahore visit remains a poignant reminder of the potential for progress, a potential that both nations must strive to achieve for the betterment of their people and the region.