A day after a handshake with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday that talks with India should not be at the cost of his country’s “dignity, self-respect and reputation”.
He told reporters on his return from Kathmandu where he attended the SAARC Summit at which he and Modi shook hands, that Pakistan was against “talks for the sake of talking”.
“The meeting of the foreign secretaries has been cancelled but we can exchange greetings. We can at least ask about each other’s well-being. We shook hands,” he said on his first brief interaction with Modi at the SAARC retreat at Dhulikhel on Thursday.
Sharif said he twice shook hands with his Indian counterpart and exchanged pleasantries at the SAARC Summit.
He said Pakistan desires a “meaningful” dialogue to resolve all issues including the Kashmir dispute.
Sharif also stated that if India wants to restore ties, the Kashmir issue must be discussed and “that too seriously with full sincerity”.
“Foreign Secretary level talks were cancelled by India. Pakistan’s dignity, self respect and reputation should not be marred. Keeping this in mind, talks should be result-oriented.
“If both sides want to solve the problem forever we should have serious talk over the contentious issues, including Kashmir,” he said.
“We shouldn’t just talk for the sake of talking, intention should be right. We should move ahead with right intentions,” Sharif said.