Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated on Monday that Islamabad and New Delhi should work together to ensure stability and security in the region.
Shortly after arriving in India on a historic visit to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Indian PM-elect Narendra Modi, the Pakistani prime minister said during an interview that both the governments enjoy a strong mandate which could help in turning a new page in relations between the two countries.
“Both countries should rid the region of instability and security that has plagued us for decades,” Sharif told Barkha Dutt of NDTV.
Sharif termed his visit as a ‘great moment’ that offers a ‘great opportunity’ to improve relations.
The Pakistani PM is among the six South Asian leaders who were invited to the oath ceremony. Sharif’s visit is being seen as a historic first for the regional rivals whose ties have been frosty since last year, when hostilities escalated after a series of ceasefire violations at the border.
Sharif likened India’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s landslide election victory to his own win in 2013 general polls saying, “Both governments have a strong mandate. This could help in turning a new page in our relations.”
He said he greatly respects BJP leader and former Indian PM Vajpayee.
Sharif will meet newly sworn-in Indian PM Modi on Tuesday as part of a series of meetings with all eight world leaders who are in India.
Indian officials see the meeting as an ice-breaker but the Pakistani leader described it as a chance to reach out to each other.
“We should remove fears, mistrust and misgivings about each other,” Sharif told a private media outfit, adding, “Both countries should rid the region of instability and security that has plagued us for decades.”
“I intend taking up threads from where Vajpayee and I left off in 1999,” said Sharif.
In an interview with an Indian daily, Sharif invited Indian businessmen to invest in Pakistan’s energy sector.
He said Pakistan is facing an acute shortage of energy and he would offer high returns to the Indian companies on their investment in this sector.
Sharif said he is regarded as a friend of businessmen and Modi is also perceived as a business-friendly person, adding that he has a model of development.
According to Indian media reports, Sharif looks set to drive an agenda of trade and economics at his scheduled bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart in New Delhi today.
