In a significant diplomatic signal, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has conveyed his readiness to hold a “meaningful dialogue” with India to address all unresolved issues, including Jammu and Kashmir, terrorism, water sharing, and trade. The statement was made during a phone conversation with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as reported by Pakistan’s state broadcaster, Radio Pakistan.
Sharif’s remarks come in the wake of heightened tensions following India’s Operation Sindoor – a precision military strike launched in May against terror infrastructure in Pakistan, in response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Since then, bilateral ties have remained strained, with India maintaining diplomatic and economic restrictions on Islamabad.
“Pakistan is ready to engage in a meaningful dialogue with India on all outstanding issues,” said Sharif, reiterating similar statements made during recent visits to Iran and Azerbaijan.
Despite Sharif’s outreach, India has shown no inclination toward reopening dialogue. New Delhi has consistently emphasized that peace talks cannot proceed unless Pakistan takes credible and irreversible action against terrorism. India’s External Affairs Ministry has firmly echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s doctrine: “Terror and talks cannot go together, terror and trade cannot go together, and water and blood cannot flow together.”
India responded to the Pahalgam attack by suspending key bilateral arrangements, including placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, halting trade with Pakistan, and closing Indian airspace to Pakistani aircraft. The Modi government has also reiterated that the only issue India is interested in discussing is the return of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Although both sides agreed to halt military actions on May 10, after four days of intense cross-border exchanges, the diplomatic standoff continues.
Sharif’s statement to the Saudi Crown Prince is being seen by analysts as an attempt to draw international attention and potentially mediate regional peace. However, with New Delhi’s current stance firmly rooted in counterterrorism priorities, the prospect of immediate talks appears limited.
